Saskatoon art show features human-sized nest

A robin, hard at work on a nest outside Dee Gibson's' window, was the inspiration behind Nesting, the Saskatoon artist's new show at the Francis Morrison Central Library.

"[The robin] was taking the dead grass out of the lawn, and the twigs and things that had fallen, and building a space for a new life," said Gibson during an interview with CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.

Gibson followed suit, tearing dozens of her old "unresolved, unfinished, or unsuccessful" oil paintings into long strips eventually forming a human-sized nest of her own. 

'Really cathartic' 

"[I was] getting rid of the legacy of all of these paintings weighing on me and sort of freeing up some psychological space." said Gibson. "It was really cathartic to just transform it into something else." 

Gibson's nest is the centrepiece of the exhibition. It also features Gibson's drawings inspired by the nest and other installation pieces created by the artist.

Idea of home

Gibson said she wanted to explore the meaning of one's home through the show.

"As someone who's fairly transient and who's traveled around a lot, I realized there's quite a process to finding what you consider home in a new place," she said.

As for anyone wanting to test out the human-sized nest, Gibson said they're welcome to give it a try.

"It's not one of those 'Don't touch the art' type installations."

Gibson said she's tried it herself and that you shouldn't expect too much in the way of comfort.

"It looks really tempting," said Gibson. "[But] it's a little scratchy, and incredibly dusty."

Nesting runs at Francis Morrison Central Library in Saskatoon through May 29.