Montreal artist brings tale of grief and loss to stage: ‘Un-nevering’

Montreal-based dancer and choreographer Thea Patterson is exploring the themes of loss and grief through the art of performance for a special showing at Espace Libre.

In a show entitled “Un-Nevering” Patterson joins with two friends and collaborators to address her loss and journey of grief following the loss of her husband.

Patterson lost husband and artistic collaborator Jeremy Gordaneer in 2021 when his death was ruled a homicide.

With the stage strewn with objects that either belonged or are linked to Jeremy in some way – Patterson says the piece explores the idea of how to continue collaborating with someone when they’re not here anymore.

“Jeremy was a visual artist, a painter, a sonographer, and a bit of a clown in fact. He was endlessly creative!” Patterson said.

The show also explores themes that are often considered “taboo” and “scary,” Patterson says.

“It’s this idea of also creating a space where we can talk about grief, which is a topic that we don’t talk about that much in our culture,” Patterson says.

Shortly after Gordaneer’s death, Patterson moved back to Montreal, where she had a community of artists. At collaborator Rachel Harris’s suggestion, she decided to get back in the studio.

“This is one of the magical pieces that seemed to happen almost on its own. We had a couple of residencies, and the elements just seemed to suggest themselves. It seemed to fall into place,” Harris said.

With a soundscape that includes recordings of Gordaneer’s voice, a piano piece he improvised and vocal harmonies from fellow collaborators Harris and Elinor Fueter – the performance encompasses all senses to represent the various tones of grief.

“Thea’s calling on the Celtic tradition of keening, where women typically are hired to come and assist in a family or a person that’s mourning.And often that is a vocal experience,” Harris explains.

“So we’re crying, we’re making sounds, not in the piece, but the keeners are, to help externalize the grief, help hold that person, hold their grief, give it a little space for them to honor that grief themselves, and not to feel so alone carrying it,” she adds.

Patterson’s tribute piece is running now until Dec. 6 at the Fullum Street venue.