Eunice Luk creates poetic experiences that implicate viewers in their responsibilities and sense of belonging to the world. For her exhibition at YYZ, Luk challenges human-centric, hierarchical views of “critters”—microbes, plants, animals, humans, and non-humans—by examining how we collectively influence and become entangled with one another.

Luk’s exhibition is a culmination of material explorations during her summer artist residency at YYZ. She has populated the gallery space with insect-like sculptures made from silk, wire, collectively wood-fired ceramics, and plant debris collected from the gardens she tended. The oversized critters possess both a powerful and delicate presence. Together, they symbolize the fragility of the moment we are living in—a moment for which we all bear responsibility. Viewers are invited to complete the installation through their cautious and deliberate interactions with the sculptures, emphasizing the direct impact their actions have—not only within the gallery but also in their lives beyond it.

Just as trillions of microbes live on and inside each of us, shaping our health in unseen ways—the “critters” in the gallery reflect the concept of “Sympoiesis.” As Donna Haraway explains, “Sympoiesis is a simple word; it means ‘making-with.’ Nothing makes itself; nothing is truly autopoietic or self-organizing.” Through an unexpected assemblage of hand-tended materials, Luk addresses the intricate relationships that sustain each species and the importance of biodiversity on Earth. The installation encourages contemplation of our place in the ecological web and the subtle connections that shape our world.

The artist would like to thank Ana Barajas, Patricia Kammerer, Parker Kay, Allan Kosmajac, Jaime McCuaig, Kaley McKean, Alicia Nauta, Darian Razdar, Masahiro Takahashi, Agatha Tung, the Flowers, the Trees, the Insects, Vava and the community at West Michigan Clay.