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Toronto marks 3 years of COVID with installation created by Indigenous artists

A person with glasses stands behind a golden object that is on a stand. There are black, long sheets with white text behind the person.
The Burn was a collaborative installation that will be used to help participants commemmorate and remember those lost to COVID-19. Photo provided by the City of Toronto.
Daniel Centeno - CJRU - Toronto • ON | 10-03-2023
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Toronto is marking the third anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic with a commemorative gathering and public art installation called the Burn. 

The event will be held at Nathan Phillips Square on March 11. 

The Burn was artist Roger Mooking, in collaboration with artist and designer Javid JAH and Wyandot Elder Catherine Tammaro.

“The Burn at Nathan Phillips Square is an opportunity for the people of this city to heal individually and collectively," Mooking said. "As a community, we come together to share in these moments and lean on one another to find a way forward.”

The events of the day will begin at sunset and include the following: 

  •       An Indigenous welcome, Ancestral Acknowledgement and formal remarks
  •       A moment of silence to acknowledge friends and loved ones lost
  •       A special appearance by singer-songwriter Jully Black
  •       A water-themed Integration Zone in the City Hall Rotunda featuring 24 hours of wellness programming, such as sound baths, meditation and movement.

Participants will be provided with cedar spheres and interact with three fire pits that are dedicated to fire pits dedicated to letting go, transformation and new beginnings. 

There will also be a micro-exhibit calledTransforming Grief: Loss and Togetherness in COVID-19 until March 24 on 100 Queen St. W. 

Listen to CJRU's coverage of Toronto marking three years since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic:

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