Ask the Mountains: The visual and aural works of Sylvie Ringer and Jenni Schine

In the exhibition Ask the Mountains, Sylvie Ringer and Jenni Schine conjure deeply meaningful memories and experiences through their use of sound, visual artwork, and installation, allowing the visitors entrance into the world of Malcolm Island through the artists’ eyes and ears. Time away from the island and isolation over the course of the pandemic has made those experiences even more valuable. The memories they have of Malcolm Island are a haven they can return to in their minds. The global pandemic exacerbated isolation and travel restrictions; the need to conjure cherished memories in order to sustain ourselves over long periods of fear and instability have become vital. Global travel is affected by volatile political situations, environmental disasters, carbon consequences, and the fragility of ecosystems and cultural sites. It is imperative that we be able to reach places in our minds that we cannot physically visit, or that have drastically changed. Though the project stems from experiences of a remote place off North Vancouver Island, the implications reach beyond that to encompass the fragility of many places, their populations, and the responsibilities visitors have as uninvited guests. Ask the Mountains is a meditation on our relationship with the natural world, and the lasting value of memories from places that have deeply impacted us.