Left, Lost, Placed

By Dorica Manuel

Artist Statement

300 wooden crosses were distributed across the city of Toronto and left in various places at random. Documentation of this process is presented through photographs. This project reflects on how the symbolism of the cross eventually becomes an empty signifier. Born into a Catholic family, the artist remembers receiving many religious souvenirs that she struggled to connect with spiritually. The artist detaches herself from the crosses, leaving them behind her where ever she goes in the city.

Artist Bio

Dorica Manuel is a Canadian artist and curator based in Toronto. Manuel’s practice is informed by her Canadian upbringing and Filipino heritage, the merging of which creates a tension that she tries to reconcile with through performative video and photography. She often addresses notions of spirituality, culture, and identity.

Manuel received an HBA in Studio Art with a double minor in English Literature and Media Studies from the University of Toronto at Scarborough. She is a co-founder of Y+ contemporary located in Scarborough.

You can find more of Dorica Manuel’s work at doricamanuel.com