Somewhere Behind Our Eyes
Dennis Lin is creating Somewhere Behind Our Eyes, a new public artwork soon to be on display at Mississauga’s South Common Community Centre and Library.
Dennis Lin, Forthcoming
South Common Community Centre and Library, 2233 South Millway
About the artwork
“This suspended sculpture is a deeply community-driven work, built from objects donated by the people of Mississauga—items carrying personal, cultural, and historical significance. As a visible minority and the child of immigrant parents, I understand the weight of holding onto objects, not just for their function, but for the histories, emotions, and sense of belonging they embody. For the South Common Community Centre, I am proposing a suspended constellation—a mobile sculpture composed of objects from Mississauga residents, each carrying a piece of someone’s story, someone’s history.
Books, cultural artifacts, religious items, fabrics, and other meaningful pieces will be curated through community workshops and collection events. The objects will be held in bronze dishes, displayed on flat bronze plates, placed under bell jars, or suspended individually. Some of the shallow bronze dishes will hold cascading fronds of bronze or acrylic, forming a kind of hanging garden of objects. This project will incorporate salvaged bronze and acrylic, along with natural elements such as stone and wood sourced from the surrounding area. The result will be an environmentally conscious work that reinforces the connection between Mississauga’s built and natural landscapes.”
— Dennis Lin
Gallery
About the artist
Dennis Lin is a Taiwanese-Canadian sculptor living and working between Toronto and Kimberley, Ontario. His work spans across sculptural forms, mainly working in suspended, standing, and relief sculpture. Lin engages themes of pattern, material nostalgia, and belonging, often salvaging materials from destined obscurity or decay. Through the meticulous techniques of conservation, Lin examines the emotional weight of hoarding—gathering, preserving, and tending to what will otherwise be lost.
Lin’s work has been exhibited internationally and is held in prominent collections. His recent projects delve into the resilience of Taiwanese identity, merging his creative process with his personal quest to reconnect with his roots. Lin’s art stands as both a deeply personal narrative and a rebellious act against cultural erasure, capturing stories and symbols that might otherwise fade into obscurity.
About the artwork selection
Through an open call to artists, the City’s public art program invited professional artists and artist teams to submit credentials and expressions of interest. Submissions were evaluated by an independent art selection committee and five applicants were shortlisted and invited to develop proposals.
The City of Mississauga heard from local residents and visitors who provided their input and feedback on these public art proposals. The art selection committee selected Dennis Lin based on the selection criteria and public support for the proposal.
The art selection committee was comprised of individuals with expertise in design, architecture, curatorial practice, contemporary art, lived experience, and knowledge of the local neighbourhood.