Well after such a rousing first adventure with #yycartmap our second sortie was disappointing to say the least. It highlights challenges with public art programs oft forgotten because the artworks themselves are not the controversy (think Blue Ring). Rather, it is access and care of the artworks, which if not maintained, leads to the loss of our memories of them and then the loss of the works themselves.
Take image 1, “Mount Pleasant Moments” by Jennifer Stead found INSIDE the (rightfully?) locked stairwell of the Mount Pleasant Fire Station #17. It is nearly invisible in the early morning as we peer through the ground floor window and past the sun’s glare. It’s really meant to be seen at night when it’s lit up.
Image 1: “Mount Pleasant Moments” by Jennifer Stead
The other work nearby, is “Alberta Foothills Morning” by Ed Drahanchuk at the Mount Pleasant Arts Centre across the street. And while it’s 1960’s aesthetic may leave some underwhelmed the faded, water and sun damaged sign leaves some of us discouraged that the artwork and its accompanying signage is not considered worthy of upkeep and maintenance.
Images 2 and 3: “Alberta Foothills Morning” by Ed Drahanchuk
Images 4,5, and 6: “Views” and “Collide” by AJA Lauden
Following the map through to Confederation Park we are rewarded for our tenacity with some truly vibrant murals in the eastern pedestrian underpass by AJA Lauden, titled ‘Views”. The closeup of the bird’s feet gripping a branch painted over the corrugated metal shell is eye-popping and heart-stopping.
Alas, our delight was quickly dispelled and replaced with disappointment and dissatisfaction with the absence of Lauden’s other work ‘Collide’ that was supposed to be in the western pedestrian overpass. We walked one end to the other, even stopping to photograph the label, proving that there was supposed to be a blue bison against a dark forested background just like depicted in the map app.
But as we walked to one end and back, we were only faced with poorly painted beige walls with some local graffiti tags. You can see in Image 6 the rollers stopped inches from the tops of the murals where visitors are teased with hints of clouds and mountains. This begs the question why? And so many other questions: Was it too damaged to be repaired; too expensive? I can keep speculating – misinformed but well-meaning city staff mistook it for graffiti? Do the artists know? To answer some of these questions a news article from December 2022 explained that while untouched by vandalism for five years the murals were now beyond repair and the work was decommissioned – painted over in beige. So now I’m left with the question – when’s the new community-led mural to replace the beige going up?
Images 7, 8, 9, 10: Kari Woo, “An Exchange of Words”
Kari Woo’s work, “An Exchange of Words” is tucked away at the Georgina Thomson Offices at the corner of Northmount and 14th St. NW. This space was formerly a library named after local writer, educator, and librarian, Georgina Thomson. There are benches for gathering around the little public library box (not actually a library) lined with books and dusty etched glass doors.
It all felt neglected and after such a disappointing public art walk about this and the other works raise questions about the YYC public art policy in regards to what maintaining and safeguarding public art means. This left me with questions, some that were answered with google searches, but I am also left mourning the loss of these works, even though some of them seem to be enduring a a slower demise than others.
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