The Project

Since November 2021, the Grand Theatre has showcased a commissioned artwork titled “Land Back” by Summer Bresette and Katie Wilhelm. The intention of this piece has been fulfilled, and now the Grand Theatre seeks to evolve it to further acknowledge traditional lands in accordance with their anti-oppression policies.

To achieve this, a new poster will be designed for display in three vestibule locations within the lobby areas—two in the front and one larger poster in the back. The signage will share a consistent motif with our printed house program, featuring expanded text, and will also appear on the website.

The goal is for guests to feel welcomed and for the display to align with the Grand Theatre’s commitment to anti-oppression, which examines the intersections of race, gender, class, and other categories in their organizational processes, ensuring they do not reproduce harm in their operations. Consideration was given to location, message, and colour.

The Design

This visual Land Acknowledgment artwork tells the story of London’s settlement. This artwork shows gratitude for the Land, Water, and First Peoples–the earliest caretakers of this area.

The story of London starts at the River, known as Deshkan Ziibing, which flows from the foreground, winding its way through the scene, illustrated with dynamic and lively lines. A tree stump serves as a reminder of the sacrifice from the Land.

The artwork uses a spectrum of colour and simplified shapes to create an abstract representation of the early London settlement, evoking a sense of history through key architectural and natural elements. Purple and green structures represent the settlement's early architectural styles, which are still in place today. Trees with dark green foliage are positioned behind these buildings, highlighting the living landscape. A green bridge spans the scene, representing local historical bridges and the connection between the Indigenous Peoples and Settlers of this Land. The two canoes at the bottom of the text represent these two groups and the Treaty agreement between them.

This artwork reminds all visitors of London’s origin story, the Treaty Agreements in place, and the acknowledgement of their responsibility to the Indigenous Peoples of this Land.