Lyfeboat prototype is a new commission by artist, architect, and playground designer Sean Procyk that takes shape as a floating platform for experimentally propagating hardwood and softwood trees. In Lyfeboat prototype, tree cuttings are planted in a central growth area that floats in the waters of Lake Ontario, with a canopy structure overhead that evokes greenhouse architecture and traps solar heat.

Lyfeboat prototype begins with “lyfe,” a term drawn from astrobiology that expands the bounds of what is considered living in the search for life beyond Earth. In Procyk’s work, lyfe connotes the interdependence of living and non-living beings which, as examples in astrobiology show, often complicate or exceed their categories.

Procyk has been propagating tree species from seeds and root cuttings since fall 2021. Expanding on his interest in resource histories of southern Ontario—which have previously explored logging and farmhouse architecture—Procyk critically engages tree species that shaped colonial settlement and nation-building in the region. At the centre of Lyfeboat prototype, a planter with tree saplings alludes to the complex histories of natural, invasive, and naturalized species.

Informed by histories of land and water management surrounding the Lake, legacies of settler-colonialism, innovations by off-grid communities, and realities of ecological resilience and adaptation, Lyfeboat prototype serves as a sculptural intervention and a platform for community engagement with ecology. Throughout summer and fall 2022, the artwork and marina site will be animated by Nearshore Gatherings, a parallel program series.

Lyfeboat prototype can be viewed from the shore at Lakefront Promenade Marina. Visitors will be welcomed to view and interact with the artwork when it is anchored at a nearby dock during four Nearshore Gatherings events during the summer and fall (June 12; July 9; September 17 and 24).

Located near Lakefront Promenade Park, Lakefront Promenade Marina (135 Lakefront Promenade, Mississauga, ON) is accessible via public transit, and has free parking nearby. The location has accessible public washrooms, boardwalks, and paved walkways, as well as seating and shaded areas.

Blackwood staff will be present during events to ensure safety, security, and adherence to COVID-19 regulations in accordance with local public health measures. Lyfeboat prototype is wheelchair accessible.

See coverage of Lyfeboat prototype and Nearshore Gatherings in UTM News and The Medium.

The final form of Lyfeboat prototype followed a community consultation process and public program series. During the summer and fall of 2021, the Blackwood held townhalls, walks, and workshops geared at assessing community relationships to waterways in the region. See past events below.