Sylvia Safdie’s work explores the nature of memory, both personal and collective, often incorporating into the work natural materials such as seeds, plants, stones and shells from various places. Safdie works in series, developing a single theme in a variety of media, creating complex and multi-layered pieces. In Ke’ara no. 13, Safdie uses the recurring image of bowls, stacked vertically, with yellow liquid streaming from one to another.

Safdie was born in Lebanon in 1942. She spent her early childhood in Israel and then immigrated to Montreal with her family in 1953: her childhood memories are punctuated by this sense of movement. She received her BFA from Concordia University. Safdie works in the media of sculpture, drawing and painting.