Situating
Sometimes, when I find myself wandering in past the edge of a forest, I wonder:
How did I get here?
My own journey here has been manifold, and I am grateful to the many concepts, trees, people, moments and values that have spurred me to this place and to do this work.
Which way did I come from?
I came from music to tree climbing and tree care, to education and engagement, to community archive and activation, to sound and story.
Was I invited?
In true white-person fashion, I invited myself. No, for real - I pitched a mini version of this (2-3 sculptures outside) to Debaser, then they offered this whole room, and suddenly there are twelve sculptures and oh so many collaborators. 💚
While I/we may have been invited to activate this space for the night, I am still an uninvited 'guest' on this unceded and unsurrendered Algonquin Anishinaabe territory. I'm sure this building was not invited, nor the histories (jail) that have taken place here over the last couple of centuries. If today marks 200 years of the founding of Bytown, we're marking 200+ years since this Land would have been forested. While creating, I wanted to make sure this exhibit doesn't feel like a graveyard - that these trees and sculptures retain their vitality and their identities as collaborators. Two things might be true.
Am I alone?
Does it feel lonely in here?
What will I do?
Connect. Listen. Create. Protect. Rage. Cool down. Love. Wonder. Laugh.
How did I get here?
My own journey here has been manifold, and I am grateful to the many concepts, trees, people, moments and values that have spurred me to this place and to do this work.
Which way did I come from?
I came from music to tree climbing and tree care, to education and engagement, to community archive and activation, to sound and story.
Was I invited?
In true white-person fashion, I invited myself. No, for real - I pitched a mini version of this (2-3 sculptures outside) to Debaser, then they offered this whole room, and suddenly there are twelve sculptures and oh so many collaborators. 💚
While I/we may have been invited to activate this space for the night, I am still an uninvited 'guest' on this unceded and unsurrendered Algonquin Anishinaabe territory. I'm sure this building was not invited, nor the histories (jail) that have taken place here over the last couple of centuries. If today marks 200 years of the founding of Bytown, we're marking 200+ years since this Land would have been forested. While creating, I wanted to make sure this exhibit doesn't feel like a graveyard - that these trees and sculptures retain their vitality and their identities as collaborators. Two things might be true.
Am I alone?
Does it feel lonely in here?
What will I do?
Connect. Listen. Create. Protect. Rage. Cool down. Love. Wonder. Laugh.
As you wander in Arboratory, I invite you to sit with these questions and get curious about your responses.
How did I get here? Which way did I come from? Was I invited? Am I alone? What will I do?
How did I get here? Which way did I come from? Was I invited? Am I alone? What will I do?
Welcome to Arboratory: an acoustic arboretum!
curated by Kim Farris-Manning | Pique Festival, Arts Court (Ottawa ON) September 26, 2026
This exhibit features forest stewards and community members from the Ottawa-Gatineau region. Their stories of connection with forests are shared through local trees- made into resonating bodies with transducers (small electronic devices), offering visitors an intimate, immersive experience. Folks can lean, touch, feel, watch and listen to the stories and leave impressions, questions and thoughts in the zine notebooks at each respective station.
Explore the stations below to learn more about how they were made, and to experience the stories through sound, ASL, written transcripts, or other audiovisual means.
I'd love to hear from you - if you're interested in sharing your impressions, please fill out the feedback form linked at the bottom of this page. Want to get involved in a future edition? Email me at [email protected]!
Explore the stations below to learn more about how they were made, and to experience the stories through sound, ASL, written transcripts, or other audiovisual means.
I'd love to hear from you - if you're interested in sharing your impressions, please fill out the feedback form linked at the bottom of this page. Want to get involved in a future edition? Email me at [email protected]!
This exhibit was made thanks to...
Storysharers: Aicha Lasfar, Ann Jackson, Barbara Konst, Ben Scott, Bonita Ford, Christi Belcourt, Create Change Collective, Jeremy Keast, Jim Walker, Jjess, Jo-Anne Bryan, John Coleman, June Kaethler, Kin of Chlorophyll, Ma Myriah Peace, Mary de Bellefeuille, Nathan Stevens-Cocco, Paul Sokoloff, Pierre-Luc Clement, Rachel Gray, Sachiko Shiota + A + A, Saivani Sanassy, Sardonyx, Shelley Lambert, Skw’akw’as Dunstan-Moore, Stephanie Walker, Tudy McLaine
Curator/Artist: Kim Farris-Manning
Consultants: Alexandra Nahwegabow, Ashley Sheppard, The Howl Experience, Janna van de Sande, Jo-Anne Bryan, Kim Kilpatrick, Liz Winkelaar
Academic Supervisors: Alexandra Nahwegabow (curation), Ellen Waterman (thesis) , Federica Goffi and Jesse Stewart (sculpture)
Vibrotactile System Consultation: An Laurence, Dave Riedstra, David Bobier, Jim Ruxton
3D rendering/visioning: Amélie Singoye
Wood sourcing: Ben Scott, Jeremy Keast
Brainstorming/sculpture-building support: Adel Manji, An Laurence, Arlo Bouchard, Ben Finley, Charlotte Lauman, Cole McLaughlin, David Bastien-Allard, Ella Latta Suazo, Emma Bider, Hannah Wanamaker, Isabelle Oke, Linzi Redekop, Luca Lauman, Nikki Lauman, Nina Zhang, Kevin Alexander, Paul Chen, Peter Farris-Manning, Sara Beth Lyons, Sara Hubberstey, Saivani Sanassy, She-Yang Lauman, Sun Shan, Stefano Dorado, Trina Cooper-Bolam, Victor Avila
Installation volunteers: An Laurence, Charlotte Stewart-Juby, Chrissy Burton, Chrissy Steinbock, Debaser team, Deirdre Kellerman, Ella Latta Suazo, Hiba Burqan, Jasmine Almström, Kevin Alexander, Kyle Carter, Nina Zhang, Rebekah Walker, Ruth Bryce, Sara Beth Lyons, Sarah Corbett, Sheetala Bhat, Skw’akw’as Dunstan-Moore
Lending space/cars/feeding me: ARISE, Cheryl and Peter Farris-Manning, Deirdre Kellerman, Ella Latta Suazo, Just Food Community Farm, Kevin Alexander, Nikki and She-Yang Lauman, Sara Beth Lyons
Funding and Support: Debaser, The Howl Experience Microgrant, SSHRC fellowship
Curator/Artist: Kim Farris-Manning
Consultants: Alexandra Nahwegabow, Ashley Sheppard, The Howl Experience, Janna van de Sande, Jo-Anne Bryan, Kim Kilpatrick, Liz Winkelaar
Academic Supervisors: Alexandra Nahwegabow (curation), Ellen Waterman (thesis) , Federica Goffi and Jesse Stewart (sculpture)
Vibrotactile System Consultation: An Laurence, Dave Riedstra, David Bobier, Jim Ruxton
3D rendering/visioning: Amélie Singoye
Wood sourcing: Ben Scott, Jeremy Keast
Brainstorming/sculpture-building support: Adel Manji, An Laurence, Arlo Bouchard, Ben Finley, Charlotte Lauman, Cole McLaughlin, David Bastien-Allard, Ella Latta Suazo, Emma Bider, Hannah Wanamaker, Isabelle Oke, Linzi Redekop, Luca Lauman, Nikki Lauman, Nina Zhang, Kevin Alexander, Paul Chen, Peter Farris-Manning, Sara Beth Lyons, Sara Hubberstey, Saivani Sanassy, She-Yang Lauman, Sun Shan, Stefano Dorado, Trina Cooper-Bolam, Victor Avila
Installation volunteers: An Laurence, Charlotte Stewart-Juby, Chrissy Burton, Chrissy Steinbock, Debaser team, Deirdre Kellerman, Ella Latta Suazo, Hiba Burqan, Jasmine Almström, Kevin Alexander, Kyle Carter, Nina Zhang, Rebekah Walker, Ruth Bryce, Sara Beth Lyons, Sarah Corbett, Sheetala Bhat, Skw’akw’as Dunstan-Moore
Lending space/cars/feeding me: ARISE, Cheryl and Peter Farris-Manning, Deirdre Kellerman, Ella Latta Suazo, Just Food Community Farm, Kevin Alexander, Nikki and She-Yang Lauman, Sara Beth Lyons
Funding and Support: Debaser, The Howl Experience Microgrant, SSHRC fellowship
Explore the sculptures
Feedback
Hi! I'm Kim Farris-Manning - the curator of Arboratory and a masters student in both Music and Culture, and Curation Studies at Carleton University. I invite you to participate in my research project analyzing the Arboratory exhibition. This is totally voluntary!
The sound sculptures in Arboratory tell stories about forests by people who care deeply about them. Learning about your experience of this exhibition can help me to understand whether/how the exhibition made an impact on visitors. Please do not provide any identifying information.
Anonymous answers will be used as data for analyzing the exhibition in my thesis. If you choose to participate, please make checkmarks and comments in answer to the questions. Thank you!
This project was reviewed and cleared by the Ānako Indigenous Research Institute and the Carleton University Research Ethics Board, Clearance # 126379. If you have any concerns with Indigenous aspects of the research, please contact the Ānako Indigenous Research Institute by email at [email protected]. If you have any ethical concerns with the study, please contact Carleton University Research Ethics Board, preferably by email at [email protected] or you can leave a message by phone at 613-520-2600 ext. 2517.
For all other concerns, please contact the researcher [email protected].
The sound sculptures in Arboratory tell stories about forests by people who care deeply about them. Learning about your experience of this exhibition can help me to understand whether/how the exhibition made an impact on visitors. Please do not provide any identifying information.
Anonymous answers will be used as data for analyzing the exhibition in my thesis. If you choose to participate, please make checkmarks and comments in answer to the questions. Thank you!
This project was reviewed and cleared by the Ānako Indigenous Research Institute and the Carleton University Research Ethics Board, Clearance # 126379. If you have any concerns with Indigenous aspects of the research, please contact the Ānako Indigenous Research Institute by email at [email protected]. If you have any ethical concerns with the study, please contact Carleton University Research Ethics Board, preferably by email at [email protected] or you can leave a message by phone at 613-520-2600 ext. 2517.
For all other concerns, please contact the researcher [email protected].