Public Trust

How serious are the promises we make to one another, the vows we take, or the pledges made by our civic leaders? Paul Ramírez Jonas' "Public Trust" asks participants to examine the value of their word. Participants declare a promise that is recorded in a drawing they can keep. They are asked to give their word in a way that is consistent with their beliefs, such as swearing on a sacred text or an object significant to their city. That promise is then published on a large-scale marquee board, placed alongside promises made by politicians, scientists, economists, companies and weather forecasters, all drawn daily from headline news. As our city approaches its municipal election, the work invites reflection on civic participation and the promise of the democratic process itself. Torontonians of all ages are invited to make promises to themselves, to one another, and to the city they share.