Water is Time is Water by Monica Lacey, presented by this town is small, will be on view January 17–March 21 at Receiver Coffee on Victoria Row in Charlottetown.

Says Lacey, “This installation is an elemental practice, an ongoing devotional exploration, and the result of a gnawing curiosity about the true nature of Time, the ways in which we are embedded in and communicating with the hydrologic cycle, and the places where those concepts overlap and absorb each other.  

“Loosely following the threads of a physics theory put forth in the last decade, which posits that spacetime may actually be a superfluid, I explore the measurement of motion [time] through capturing moments of constant change underwater. Submerged mesh fabric simulates the spacetime through which the water can move, and in the images, the two can be observed to merge and reflect and dialogue with each other until they are indistinguishable.”

Lacey is a multidisciplinary visual artist, writer and educator based in Charlottetown. Inspired by nature and by liminal spaces, she prioritizes connection and communication in her work, play and practice. Lacey holds a Diploma in Textiles and Photography from the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, and has received several awards and grants for excellence in her work and service to her community, including the Garfield Weston Award and the Nel Oudemans Award. She lives in Epekwitk/PEI with her husband and daughter. In addition to her studio practice, Lacey teaches Kundalini Yoga and serves as director/curator for the Fitzroy St. Tiny Art Gallery, a mini art space on her front lawn.