Lest We Forget: From Internment to Compassion

In this talk on Remembrance Day, artist Loretta Faveri will share stories of how her personal experiences transformed her artistic practice, through themes of self-compassion and forgiveness.. She will explore how art can help us confront the fears of the past while fostering empathy, compassion, and healing in the present.

Through projects like “Captured Moments”, Faveri explores the link between memory, resilience, and art—offering space for both personal expression and community participation. Faveri also reflects on the internment of Italian Canadians during WWII, its impact on her own family, and its relevance to current global events.

Guests will be invited to take part in the “Lest We Forget” installation by writing or drawing on Japanese paper and tearing and stitching the pieces into a 14’ x 3’ fishing net—collectively weaving a tapestry that holds our memories, our pain, and our compassion.

Bio – Loretta Faveri

Loretta Faveri is a fibre artist and dancer based in Toronto and Grey County, Ontario. She studied textile design at OCAD University, where she specialized in surface design, wearable electronics, and sculpture. Her award-winning thesis, Chance, was an interactive project featuring belly dance costumes embedded with SOMO (SOund & MOvement) sensors that transformed movement into sound. This work led to collaborations with The Studio for Movement, Ballet Jörgen, and OCAD University’s Social Body Lab to further develop the technology. She later founded SonicWear, offering inclusive SOMO workshops that encouraged creative movement for all ages. In 2017, her focus shifted toward projects exploring forgiveness and healing from shame, using torn and stitched Japanese paper to create abstract tapestries. With support from the Ontario Arts Council, she partnered with St. Joseph’s Health Centre in 2021 to lead an eight-session online art and mindfulness workshop for patients with substance use disorders. She has since facilitated similar workshops with Workman Arts, Lakeshore Arts, and Arts Etobicoke. Faveri's current work delves into family narratives, exploring themes of forgiveness and healing through the careful transcription of letters and the creation of torn and machine-stitched paper portraits.

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