Between Mercy and Ruin
Three monumental paintings
ONE NIGHT ONLY
Saturday October 3, 2026
7pm - 7am
STACKT market
28 Bathurst Street, Toronto
FREE ADMISSION
Between Mercy and Ruin brings together three monumental paintings by Mais Al-Sheikhly exploring who we become when another person is vulnerable. Through inner conflict, collective cruelty, and the unexpected faces of kindness and betrayal, the works confront our capacity to protect, wound or turn away. Here, mercy emerges from darkness, while ruin arrives wearing the face of trust.
When someone’s last hope is you, will you become their mercy or their ruin?
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Acrylic Paint and Mixed Media on Canvas
I believe evil is fueled by anger, jealousy, greed, arrogance, envy, resentment, inferiority, lies, and ego, while good is fueled by joy, love, humility, kindness, empathy, hope, compassion, and faith. We all have Good and Evil that lives within all of us; in fact, I believe one cannot exist without the other. The face off between Good vs Evil is a confrontation that we have within us that we battle on a regular basis. We are all capable of possessing good and evil but how much is too much, and more importantly, where do you stand on the scale? Regardless of who prevails during the face off, there will always be a consequence that follows and influences others, whether it be positive or negative. Think about the blood shed at the end of each face off, was it worth it?
Acrylic Paint on Canvas
Canada is known as being one of the most humble and respectful countries in the world, yet it is rated the fifth-highest in bullying at 15%. Over twenty years ago, my family chose Canada as their home for all the right reasons; unfortunately, and we have seen it transform over this period, what happened to our home? Bullying is apparent at all ages and across all races, it’s as if we are at war with one another where there are no winners. What stance do you take during this war and what role do you play? Are you the victim whose purity and innocence are being ripped apart? Perhaps you are the audience fueling the aggression, inadvertently providing support to these actions. Perhaps you are the bystander who observes but doesn’t intervene because you feel it’s not your battle. It could be that you are the tyrant, feasting on what is left of someone’s soul and closing the door to heaven’s gate, eliminating any ray of hope, love and compassion from coming through. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for these souls?
