Bodies of Memory with Erica Stocking and Delphi

Bodies of Memory is an experimental workshop inviting participants to explore memory and imagination through fabric and sculptural form. Attendees are asked to bring a garment or piece of fabric with personal significance—a cherished item, a gift from a loved one, a scrap from a baby blanket, a family handkerchief, or fabric set aside for years. These surfaces carry memory, meaning, and unseen histories of labour; the workshop asks how they might transform into sculptural bodies that hold memory differently.

The session begins with a presentation by Delphi, exploring transformation, desire, and memory through surrealist themes. A guided meditation follows, focused on accessing the inner life of the fabric and the form it might take. Participants will then work with a range of materials and techniques, supported by artist Erica Stocking, to bring their figures to life. Delphi will be available for one-on-one consultations with emerging creations throughout. The workshop concludes with participants photographing their newly formed figures in the landscape surrounding Gariloch Gardens.

This program is developed in conjunction with Aideen Barry's solo exhibition Silent Songs, which explores surrealist feminist ideals, transformation, the unconscious, and the relationship between bodies, labour, objects, and land. Stocking's experimental approach extends the exhibition's themes into a shared, participatory process.

Saturday, November 21, 2026. Two sessions: 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Capacity: 20 participants per session. Free workshop with pre-registration required.

Location: 1306 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville, ON (Gariloch Gardens).