This past September, Ferme Lanthorn had the privilege of hosting When Spiders Spin Dusk (website below), our largest and most ambitious artist residency to date. Supported by the Korea-Canada Joint Arts Fund and organized by Junghyun Kim and Luisa Ji (UKAI Projects), this residency brought together six artists and two curators from South Korea and Canada for a week-long field study on our farm exploring new perspectives on intelligence and technology. The project culminated in two exhibitions: one at The Bridge in Toronto in October 2024, showcasing research archives and interactive workshops, and another at the Coreana Museum of Art in Seoul in January 2025, presenting the final works and engaging audiences with artist talks and immersive workshops.
Field work in the forest. Photo by Nick Gallarza
Why Ferme Lanthorn?
Over time, our connection to this land has inspired care for both the local landscape and the broader environment. These values inspire us to explore how art, ecological intelligence, and the challenge of sustainable living intersect, contributing to global conversations about ethics, technology, and our relationship with the natural world.
Unmake Lab on the trail. Photo by Nick Gallarza
Lanthorn aligned with the vision of When Spiders Spin Dusk (SSD), not only in our values but in our unique setting. The site offers a mosaic of ecosystems to explore, from beaver ponds and marshes to open fields, forests, and waterfalls cascading through rocky foothills. The portion of land dedicated to farming focuses on the sustainable production of natural craft materials, including over 20 cultivars of basketry willow and heritage wool. These versatile materials are examples of nature’s intelligence and weave into traditional and contemporary approaches to regenerative farming. Along with our farm animals, we care for a herd of displaced deer who were rescued in an animal cruelty case by the Humane Society; a reminder of those affected by human systems and our responsibilities toward them. Our proximity to other resources, like the Natural History Museum Archives in Gatineau, offered opportunities to engage with specialists in natural sciences, exploring how arts and sciences can collaborate to inspire awareness and action.
On the land and in the lab. Photos by Nick Gallanza
Skill Sharing
During the residency, artists shared skills and explored the property and themes of the residency through interactive workshops. Mary also led some hands-on basket weaving and exploration with our willow. Spatially engaging yet meditative, weaving held space to reflect and engage with ideas introduced throughout the residency. Meeting and working with willow—one of nature’s ancient technologies—sparked discussions on the parallels between traditional craft and so-called higher technology. Conversations around humanity’s innate desire to create vessels further connected the intricate work of weaving and the origins of modern systems for collecting and organizing information.
Mary demonstrates willow weaving. Photo by Nick Gallanza
Basket weaving with Sunjeong and Junghyun. Photos by Mary
Scaling Up
The SSD residency required us to step up our accommodations, a creative challenge we enjoyed taking on. In addition to rooms in the house, we offered spacious (10’ x 16’) and comfortably furnished canvas tents on wooden platforms to house the participants. These “glamping tents” allowed artists to immerse themselves in the environment while remaining energized for the collaborative and reflective atmosphere the project required. While tents provided enough space to include desks and work areas, our existing spaces still provided shared lounge and working space indoors and out.
Evening visits on the veranda. Photo by Nick Gallanza
In the Field
This project was ambitious not only in its scale but in its goals: to explore the intersections and liminal spaces of ecology, technology, and culture through artist research. the group met regularly for 2 months ahead of the weeklong stay at Lanthorn, to share their perspectives, work, and to prepare for the immersive portion of the residency.
Fieldwork is always a highlight for us and a central piece in our motivations for hosting. Supporting land-based art research offers us constant renewal on how we see and relate to the land. Being part of this community of inquiry offered insights and new skills; seeing the ways artists engaged—gathering data, observing ecosystems, and drawing inspiration from the surroundings - brought us to a deeper understanding of how we can live our own values. Discussions challenged us to consider perspectives beyond the human-centred lens often embedded in technology.
Collecting Data. Photo by Nick Gallanza
Reciprocity in the Recipe
Sharing the making and enjoyment of meals was a central part of the experience. Many of the meal ingredients were sourced directly from our farm, and in turn, we were introduced to new flavours. Even our very discerning 8yo was won over by our guests' lovingly prepared Korean dishes.
French toast on the Blackstone with Bob. Photos by Mary
To Our Guests:
Thank you to the incredible artists and curators who joined us for When Spiders Spin Dusk: Erika Jean Lincoln, François Quévillon, Maurice Jones, Sunjoo Lee, Sunjeong Hwang, and Unmake Lab, as well as Junghyun Kim, Jerrold McGrath and Luisa Ji. Your energy, ideas, and talents brought this residency to life. We are inspired by your perspectives and honoured to have played a role in this exchange. Marking the end of the residency with a bonfire and a full harvest moon sums up what a meaningful experience it was. We hope you’ll all stay in touch and that our paths cross again!
Please visit whenspidersspindusk.com to learn more about the artist's works. You can also find the participating artists and explore the project on Instagram @2024_SSD
