Luke Maddaford’s work moves between what was, what is, and what might still be possible. Rooted in research and shaped by storytelling, his latest project Our Lady of the Vapours resurrects a piece of Queer Saskatchewan history and builds a space to imagine potential futures.
Based in Swift Current, Maddaford is a writer, curator, and multidisciplinary artist. He is currently a participant in the RBC Sustained Artist Mentorship program at Remai Modern. His practice often revolves around place-making, memory, and Queer identity—particularly how those ideas are shaped through archives and material culture.
Searching for What Wasn’t There
Though bathhouses have played a significant role in Queer life across many North American cities, Saskatchewan’s history tells a different story. These spaces have historically offered Queer communities a place to gather, connect, and find privacy at times when public acceptance was limited.
“There are no bathhouses in Saskatchewan currently. There was one from 2002 to 2007, and there is another one around 2017,” Maddaford said. “This is relatively unique for a city, to have only had bathhouses in the 21st century… So I’m interested in why Saskatchewan didn’t have any prior to that.”
Researching this absence meant turning to the archives. Maddaford spent time at the University of Saskatchewan’s Special Collections, digging into local Queer publications and ephemera as he tried to track down ads or articles that could provide insight for his project.
But as is often the case in Queer history, much of it is undocumented.
“A lot of Queer history has been erased or recorded by people who are not part of the community,” he said. To counter this, Maddaford also sought out lived experience—talking with people who had visited the short-lived bathhouses and gathering stories that weren’t reflected in the written record.
Our Lady of the Vapours
From this fragmented archive, Our Lady of the Vapours emerged—a creative act of imagining as much as documentation. The project combines historical research with speculative fiction, offering a glimpse into a fictional bathhouse that could exist in Saskatchewan.
The work exists in two parts: a publication and a performance. In the latter, Maddaford assumes the role of a bathhouse attendant, handing each visitor a key—an object that acts as both invitation and artifact.
“When you check into a bathhouse, you’re always given a key… and that’s kind of a physical representation of the space.”
By presenting the bathhouse as a speculative history, he creates space for “something that could happen or could have happened.” The goal isn’t nostalgia, but rather a call to imagine.
“I’m not trying to open one,” he clarified in an interview. “But I’m interested in looking at that space as a space for Queer joy and opportunity.”
A Practice of Memory and Imagination
Maddaford’s larger practice often deals with how identity is formed around space, place, and community—especially within Queer contexts.
His interest in archives is both academic and personal.
“I’m interested in documenting these Queer stories of places and people in ways that they don’t really exist right now,” he said.
This impulse—to make what was overlooked visible and envision possibility—is central to Our Lady of the Vapours.
He also points to the fragility of Queer memory, particularly in communities where history is not often passed down generationally.
“There’s not a lot of intergenerational communication within the Queer community. So, sometimes those histories can disappear after one generation… those histories can die really quickly.”
Leaving Traces
The keys Maddaford handed out during his performance are more than symbolic—they are artifacts. They continue his interest in material culture, and in leaving tangible traces of Queer life that can be archived, remembered, and shared.
“The idea of giving out these keys kind of as a souvenir, and as a key to the fictional space, really played into my practice.”
Ultimately, the project invites audiences not just to learn about history, but to consider the kinds of spaces Queer people in Saskatchewan might still create.
“I’m hoping that people are able to learn a little bit about Saskatchewan’s Queer history… as well as create interest and conversations around what Queer spaces can look like and how we can interact with them.”
About the RBC Sustained Artists Mentorship Program
The RBC Sustained Artist Mentorship program at Remai Modern provides emerging and mid-career artists with access to facilities, curators, and community resources. Each participant receives individualized feedback and opportunities to showcase or further develop their work. The ultimate goal is to nurture Saskatchewan’s vibrant creative community, supporting artists and forms of practice that resonate locally and beyond.