Ilya and Emilia Kabakov and The Ship of Tolerance

Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, The Ship of Tolerance in Kunsthaus Zug, 2016. Courtesy of the artists. Photo: Daniel Hegglin © Ilya & Emilia Kabakov Foundation

Concurrent to the ship’s construction along the shores of Lake Ontario in Gairloch Gardens, a series of workshops was organized for local school children from the Halton region. During these sessions, youth exchanged ideas and perspectives around the themes of the work, including reflections upon their visions for both their own and our communal futures. The workshops concluded with the children drawing pictures on silk squares, which were then stitched together to form the ship’s sails.

The primary purpose of The Ship of Tolerance, as stated in its mission, is to “educate and connect youth of different continents, cultures, and identities through the language of art.” In Nora Fitzgerald’s 2011 article, “Sailing with the Kabakovs,” Ilya and Emilia Kabakov offered their reflections on the project, saying, “the goal of course is the connection to other cultures, and the ship is the symbol. The children are very sensitive to this. Other symbols are the wind, the message in the bottle, freedom of the sea. The children have to know that their message will be heard.”