The book of [un]Happiness

It's 2021. A new email shows up, and the subject line is about your father. You've dreaded receiving it. It reads, "Hi there, I'm writing concerning your father. Could you call me back as soon as possible? Thanks."

Bird funerals are common among members of the corvid or crow family, which includes birds such as crows, ravens, rooks, magpies, and jays. Crows mourn their dead and find ways to process the life that has passed on. A group of ravens is called an unhappiness.

Featuring fragmented surrealist video artworks involving trickster characters and crows, several small trees adorned in gold crow offerings, and a renovated dollhouse representing a Millennial's perspective on the spirit world, 'The book of [un]Happiness' wants to invite audiences to ask themselves how we find space to discuss death, post-life administration and protocols for those who mourn us.

Each of us should consider how we want our death, body and information handled once we pass on. Between our digital footprints, bank accounts, phone and internet bills, material property like cars and homes, and dependents such as children and pets, there's so much we might leave behind that needs to be considered.

---

Programming:

Closing Reception

November 1st, 5:30 - 7:30 PM @ The Inc.

---

Olivia Shortt (They/them // Anishinaabe, Nipissing First Nation // ireland) is a weirdo, noisemaker, video artist, wannabe fashion icon, curator, and composer. Shortt has been described as a “glittering, rising star in the exploratory music firmament” by Musicworks Magazine and named by the CBC as one of “6 Indigenous composers you need to know in 2024”. Their video artwork has been presented by organizations such as Din of Shadows (Toronto), the University of Toronto, Probably Theatre (Halifax/Toronto), and the Matriarchs Uprising Festival (Vancouver). Shortt has performed at The Whitney Biennial (NYC), The Holland Festival (Amsterdam) and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (Washington, DC). Iconic moments include appearing and playing saxophone on CBC Kids’ ‘Gary the Unicorn’ and lending their voice off-screen for Stephen King’s ‘In the Tall Grass’ and Season 3 of ‘Chucky’.