Icons by Janet Read, Artist |

The “icons” use antique maps, stones, hand forged iron nails, layered images of the compass rose and historic photos to memorialize the loss of the cod fishery in Newfoundland in a way that is nostalgic but also poses questions to the viewer. How did it happen? What can we do?

Through a poetic evocation of that loss I hope to spark the questioning in a way that straight polemic can never achieve. The actual image of the cod is not romantic; it is a rather ugly fish but juxtaposing it with the traditional gold ground celebrating divinity of the icon format does raise some questions about the value of natural resources.

The use and loss of resources is global but our loss is huge and we must bear it in mourning and hope for renewal.

from david,

re: the comment ” that every Newfoundland man should build his own boat” ,

I believe I said that every man in my family,

going back to my great, great grandfather, has built boats .

It was one of the many skills needed to survive in the fishery.

I have said that to keep the tradition going, I should build one as well,

even if it is a little one.

Even a little boat will marry the sea

with straked planks and a small prow,

she will remember

the Viking longboat, the dugout canoe,

the galleon and the clipper ship.

All vessels live in her,

even the curragh, mere

oxhide over ribs, a round bowl whirling

on the ebb tide, a leaf

in an eddy.

we take from that which is depleted,

and give to that which has too much

who can offer abundance to the world

Janet Read 2006