Sculpture selected to commemorate heritage of Indigenous People and racialized minorities in Kingston
A new public artwork is set to become a focal point at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts. After a public call and five proposals, the stainless‑steel piece titled Consonance by Hooman Mehdizadehjafari has been chosen to commemorate the heritage of Indigenous peoples and racialized minorities in Kingston.
The commission grew out of a research initiative called “Toppling Monuments: Colonial Trauma, Justice, Heritage, and Restorative Healing,” funded by the New Frontiers grant and Queen’s University’s Wicked Ideas fund. The study examined how dominant heritage narratives—think Sir John A. Macdonald and the United Empire Loyalists—have shaped the wellbeing of under‑represented communities.
Consonance is described as a dynamic formation of diverse human figures rising and supporting one another toward a shared apex. The artist says the work embodies collective strength and unity, offering a “living symbol of inclusion” that physically lifts the voices of those historically left out of the city’s story.
Selection was overseen by a committee that included a member of the advisory circle, two researchers, and a professional artist, while public feedback—hundreds of responses favoring the chosen design—also weighed heavily in the decision.
Installation is slated for December 2026, and organizers anticipate the sculpture will quickly become a landmark, signaling Kingston’s ongoing effort to broaden its cultural narrative for future generations.