Art installation in Edmonton to raise awareness about domestic abuse
Posted March 6, 2025 2:49 pm.
Last Updated March 6, 2025 8:06 pm.
With International Women’s Day this Saturday, a new art installation in Edmonton’s Kingsway Mall to raise awareness about gender-based violence and domestic abuse, and all of these rooms behind me resonate with the artist who is also a survivor.
“I have a different story than everybody in this, but everybody’s story is different and that’s I think the point,” said Tessa Stamp, an art designer.
The art is a way for Stamp to highlight her journey, after leaving her former husband in 2008.
“I was in a situation with my ex-husband, I was living in another country and I flew my mom out to help me pack up and drive away,” she explained.
But as a survivor, she’s also using the art to highlight ten different stories of victims of gender-based violence.
“It’s hard to acknowledge how common some of these things are and how untalked about they are, so talking about them, raising awareness about them. I recognize things in people that I didn’t before because of my experience, and offering support and knowing that there’s a place that they can go for support and help is really important,” Stamp explained.
This is the second “Light the Darkness House” installation by Win House. Each time someone donates to the shelter, It plays a real story from the art installation.
“The children’s hallway down here, it’s children that are witnessing some violence in their home, there are two kids underneath the blanket huddled together, there’s like evidence of a fight outside and parents fighting,” said Stamp while describing the art.
According to Win House’s CEO, the shelter housed an estimated 400 women and 200 children last year. Adding that more women are staying longer and struggling to find a home, while others are being turned away.
“It’s really hard, it’s hard on the women too because when she comes in, she might have a plan, and she wants to get on with her life and try to find a place to stay. It can be really challenging,” explained Leslie Allen, CEO of Win House.
The art will be on display until Mar. 28.
