A recent collaboration between artists Laura Põld, Lou Sheppard and faculty member Laura Kozak brought together installation and sculpture students from Eesti Kunstiakadeemia (EKA – Estonian Academy of Arts) with students from Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) for a research collaboration exploring place, history and possible futures.

Organized by Shumka Centre in collaboration with Libby Leshgold Gallery, Tide Places centred intercultural and artistic change around the theme of intertidal zones, with Laura Põld and her EKA students visiting several ECU classes and contributing artworks throughout the project.  

Meanwhile, ECU students worked as research assistants (RAs) and project contributors, helping to develop and facilitate workshops and leading the Estonian guests on walks throughout the city. 

Each student brought a distinct perspective, from ecology and land-based storytelling to collaborative workshop design and community engagement. This alignment of artistic practice with the residency’s goals not only informed how Tide Places evolved but also underscored the unique ways each RA could help deepen and diversify the dialogue around place, intertidal ecologies and cultural exchange.  

The students are now working on a forthcoming digital and print publication that will highlight the work that took place throughout Tide Places. 

Meet the students who participated in the delivery of this residency and learn more about their practices:

Jefferson Alade

Master of Design student Jefferson Alade contributed to Tide Places by leading an outdoor listening room experience on Habitat Island. Bringing together students, faculty and researchers, Jefferson facilitated a sound-based exploration of the False Creek Flats, beginning and ending with a Tibetan Singing Bowl meditation. Participants were guided through reflective prompts and field recording exercises designed to heighten their awareness of place through sound. 

“I’ve mostly hosted listening rooms indoors or in controlled settings,” he says. “With Laura’s encouragement, I reimagined what this practice could look like. It gave me the courage to push past self-imposed limits.” 

Leading one of the largest groups he’s worked with helped Jefferson expand his facilitation skills and deepen his commitment to sonic-based research. The experience, he adds, inspired him to revisit paused projects and pursue new funding to continue developing his work.

Danya Gorodetsky + Brie Watson

Fourth-year Critical + Cultural Practice major Brie Watson and fourth-year Visual Arts major Danya Gorodetsky worked together closely to create and lead workshops and other activities throughout the project.  

Having taken classes with Laura Kozak previously, Brie says Tide Places offered an opportunity for collaboration with a person she greatly admires.   

“Laura’s engagement with community and with histories is humble, genuine and shows how this type of work can be led in a good way,” Brie says. “A lot of my personal practice is about the history of the land and place-based knowledge. Working alongside Laura, I got to learn how she models her work, ethics, and practice.”  

Danya notes her own practice involves “taking what I learn and translating it into a pedagogical environment. And I learned a lot, especially from Laura’s method of facilitation and Brie’s approach to co-learning.”  

Danya adds their workshops centred partly around the theme of illusion.  

“So, breaking down how Vancouver presents itself through landscape, geography, infrastructure and marketing versus what that image conceals,” she says.  

 “Through our work together, we considered how this pervasive illusory element operates in the ways institutions and individuals position their work,” Brie and Danya write in a joint statement. “Going forward, we want to continue exploring how storytelling through public art and social practice about the stolen land of Vancouver plays a role in building this narrative.” 

Eknoor Mathoaroo

Fourth-year Visual Arts student Eknoor Matharoo contributed to Tide Places by sharing her practice during an artist talk with visiting EKA students. Centred around her artist book Look Around, the talk explored themes of observation, awareness of surroundings, remembrance of space, and the quiet poetics of engaging with found materials. 

“The Tide Places residency reinvigorated my passion for site-specificity and site relevance as elements of my practice,” she says. “It was a wonderful opportunity for critical engagement and an intimate sharing of my conceptual and tangible process.” 

Through the residency, Eknoor deepened her connection to cross-disciplinary collaboration and community building—experiences that not only shaped Look Around but also continue to influence her evolving artistic practice. 

Sakeena Soni

Fourth-year Communication Design student Sakeena Soni’s contribution to Tide Places primarily involves developing the forthcoming publication documenting the project. Sakeena’s degree includes a SPACE (Social Practice and Community Engagement) minor, reflecting her interest in social practice and place-based design.  

“My graduation work is related to revitalizing green spaces and urban farming, and Tide Places is a great opportunity to learn about the land and geography before it was colonized,” she says. “Also, graphic design can be super commercial. I wanted to use my skills in ways that felt more valuable and more closely focused on my interests. That’s why I was excited to take part.”  

Sakeena, who is passionate about environmental justice, says working on Tide Places allowed her to create content that educates communities about the ecological impact of development in intertidal zones. 

Parumveer Walia

Fourth-year Visual Arts student Parumveer Walia, who works in photography and film, is the primary contributor of images and words for the forthcoming publication.  

“Being given space to create writing for the publication has really helped me develop my practice,” he says. But by no means was the work easy, he adds. And in large part, that is what made the project so rewarding.  

“There was some discomfort at first, but meeting that challenge was very fruitful,” he continues. “We learned to take on a difficult topic and not shy away from the work just because it’s hard. And I think we were able to provide our guests with new models for understanding they can take with them.” 

Learn more about Tide Places on our website. Follow us on Instagram to stay up to date on the forthcoming Tide Places publication.