ceremony: re-naming

While in residence at The Banff Centre in 1992, and based on feminist readings and family research, the artist decided to officially change her name to Sandra Vida. The re-naming performance took place in Banff, at an open space of rock on Tunnel Mountain. She was born Sandra Gibb, had been married and changed her name to Tivy, but had long since left that marriage. To her, the return to her deceased father’s name or her mother’s maiden name seemed only to reinforce the patriarchal lineage of all surnames.  So she chose to call herself by her mother and sister’s middle name, Vida.

Details

1992