On February 18, join us for a candle-making workshop that explores participatory ritual, tradition, and ancestral connection.

Facilitated by artist Sof Kreidstein, this creative workshop is focused on the old Ashkenazi custom of making soul candles out of beeswax. This centuries-old practice, called feldmestn (Yiddish) was carried out by women in Eastern Europe who would measure the graves of their ancestors with wick thread, making candles as a connective channel between the dead and the living.

During the workshop, guests will learn all about this ancestral practice, and will be invited to engage in open discussion about themes related to ancestral connection. Guests will also be encouraged to consider the thematic overlaps between this workshop and our ongoing exhibition, BACK RIVER by Sonia Bazar, which contemplates loss and memory in the context of Montreal's Back River Cemetery.

All participants will come away with a hand-made beeswax candle (or a few!), incorporating a wick imbued with intention, as well as a candleholder made from a found object. Guests are encouraged to bring a stone for their candleholder, but we will have extras provided.

Tickets to this workshop are $30 plus tax,. and include all materials needed to make the candle. Pre-registration is required for all who wish to attend. Capacity is limited, so sign up early to avoid disappointment.

ABOUT SOF:

Sof Kreidstein is an interdisciplinary artist and facilitator, who creates/transforms through object making, installation art, performance, poetry, digital media, and socially engaged projects. Their multifaceted practice is guided by interconnections in nature, queer ritual, Jewish mysticism and folklore, neurodivergent intuition, and intergenerationality. Sof is based in Tkaronto, having recently moved back from Kjipuktuk where they lived during and following their time at NSCAD (BFA 2022).

Their work has evolved through solo and collaborative exhibitions, land-based projects, and public art festivals. As a facilitator and organizer, their work is centred around queer and trans Jewish community and youth, and cultivating accessible spaces for creative expression. Sof is driven to nurture growth through connection, care, and curiosity.

ACCESSIBILITY: Please note that the upper levels of our building are not currently accessible to visitors with limited mobility. This workshop will take place on the ground level. Our exhibition space is located on the upper levels.