Skyway Recreation Centre

Ephemeral Reverie,  Xiaojing Yan

Sculpture, eco-friendly concrete and pigment 

In the heart of Skyway Community Centre, Ephemeral Reverie rises, an art installation that not only whispers of environmental urgency but also binds the community’s heartbeat. Crafted from different hues of coloured concrete, it evokes melting icebergs, echoing the climate’s distress call. This multicolored beacon not only ignites discussions on our planet’s environmental challenges but also emphasizes our shared responsibility to act. 

Crafted with an eco-friendly and recyclable concrete, Ephemeral Reverie reflects the city’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and embracing green initiatives. As its story unfolds, the installation can be reborn, its materials repurposed, emphasizing the continuous cycle of community renewal and rejuvenation.  

Ephemeral Reverie stands as a community emblem and serves as a poignant reminder of our collective duty to tread lightly on Earth, fostering a legacy of care, unity, and sustainable vision. 

Artist Biography

Xiaojing Yan is a Chinese-Canadian artist whose work embraces her sense of having a hybrid identity. Settling permanently in the Toronto area, her work reflects her journey through these various cultures, arriving at her own personal vocabulary. Her unique point of view unites the past and the present, encompassing culture and nature, art and science.

Her work has appeared in solo exhibitions at institutions including the Chinese American Arts Council in New York City, Richmond Art Gallery in Canada, Suzhou Museum in China, Hermès Maison in Shanghai, and Varley Art Gallery in Canada. Her projects have been featured in venues throughout Canada as well as China, France, USA and Greece. Yan has also completed commissions in Canada, China and France including her “Zodiac Sign Project” commission and installation “Cloudscape” at the Royal Ontario Museum, window display “Into the Dreams” and installation “Emergence” by Hermès, Shanghai, China.

Yan is a recipient of numerous awards and grants including Project Grants from the Canada Council, the Annual Conference Support Grant from College of Art Association (2021), Chalmers Arts Fellowship from the Ontario Arts Council (2016), Young Alumni Achievement Award from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2014). Yan’s work has been written about in Art in America, Canadian Art, Sculpture Magazine, Yishu-Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art, The Art Newspaper, Fiber Focus, among others. She holds an MFA from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2007) and a BFA from Nanjing University of the Arts (2000).

Learn more about Yan at https://yanxiaojing.com/