Keening at the Edge of Empire

At the closing of Deering Contemporary 2026: Here We Gather, Rebecca White and companions carried out a ritual within her installation La Guía. An enactment of a historic grief ritual, the performance facilitated collective catharsis in response to ecological and immigration crises. Keening, a mourning practice shared among Gaelic-speaking people, was commonly seen in Ireland and Scotland until the middle of the 20th century. This modern-day Keening expressed rage, grief, and despair at the current state of our country. Emily Peters (an Artist in Residence at Deering Estate) created a sonic landscape during the performance.