Holly Newman, Untitled

Artist Info: Holly Newman is an Edmonton-based artist who has been involved in the local art scene for  over 30 years. Newman graduated from the University of Alberta in 1985 with a BFA and has since taken part in numerous group and solo shows including exhibitions at Harcourt House, the Art Gallery of Alberta and The New Gallery in Calgary. No stranger to public art, she was commissioned in 2006 to create the work 'I Witness' at the Health Sciences LRT station. According to her website, Newman's work revolves around the city landscape and the glimpses of nature we can catch while exploring Edmonton (if we are careful enough to notice!). 

The work featured here is a series of granite benches situated along both sides of Jasper Avenue between 102 and 100 Streets. The benches have images and text etched into their surface, referencing the changing of the seasons and the various natural phenomena one can see during the year. The work is a Percent for Art Commission through the Edmonton Arts Council and was completed just a year ago in the fall of 2013. 

My Thoughts: As I am sure you have picked up by now, I love interactive art! Therefore, I have been a fan of this work since I first noticed it along Jasper Ave. I love the juxtaposition between the natural imagery on the benches with their location in one of the most metropolitan parts of Edmonton. Being someone who also obsesses about the minutes of daylight, the migrating geese and the changing seasons, I find myself very moved by Newman's descriptions of nature in the city. The piece serves as a reminder to look around you while waiting for the bus or walking to work. 

On that note, I was just wanting to let you all know that this will be my last YEGallery posting. As I'm sure many of you have noticed, my time and dedication to the blog has been waning in the past few months. I've been struggling to keep things fresh and find accessible works of art that I find interesting. After some months of deliberation, I have decided to end the blog. When I started it up I wanted to continue it for at least a year and I have successfully accomplished my goal. To anyone reading this - thanks for investigating Edmonton public art with me. I'll be keeping this blog up as a resource to anyone wanting to learn more about a particular piece. Send me a message if you have any questions or comments! Thanks!

Deborah Butterfield, 'Whistlejacket'

About the Artist: Deborah Butterfield is an American sculptor who graduated with a BFA in ’71 and a MFA in ‘73 from the University of California, Davis. She is best known for her horse sculptures made of scrap metal and wood. Butterfield said she had originally wanted to her subject matter to feature the female form but found too many of her contemporaries taking a similar focus. Instead, she chose to use horses as a kind of self-portrait. She has since been working almost exclusively in the equine form since the 80s. She divides her time between time between homes in both Montana and Hawaii. She only creates art during the winter, meaning each piece can take a number of years to create. Some of her most stunning works are made of bronze casts of branches, resulting in the appearance of wooden sculptures with the durability of metal.

‘Whistlejacket’, created in 1988 of welded scrap metal, sits tucked into a small green space between the plaza shops on Jasper at 112 Street. Looking at old auction records, the work appears to have been purchased in 1994. It had previously been seen at a commercial gallery in New York City. The name ‘Whistlejacket’ likely relates to the famous painting of a racehorse owned by the British Marquess of Rockingham in 1762. The work was created by George Stubbs, a painter of the period  best known for his portraits of horses.

My Thoughts: Being a rider myself, this was one of the first sculptures I really noticed when I came to Edmonton. That being said, I have had a hard time knowing what I think about this sculpture. Standing so close to Joe Fafard’s life-sized bronze horse, I often find this horse looks skeletal. Furthermore, the stance of the animal does not make it look happy or friendly. Butterfield is known to have said her ‘horses' gestures are really quite quiet, because real horses move so much better than I could pretend to make things move. For the pieces I make, the gesture is really more within the body, it's like an internalized gesture’. Unfortunately, I struggle to see this internal commentary in the rusted scrap metal. While I enjoy the opportunity to see my favourite animals featured in a public artwork, I find this piece does not speak to me in the same way as her wooden or bronze sculptures.

What do you think? Can you read more into the horse’s emotions?

Marc Boutin, "Memoryscape"

About the Artist: Marc Boutin is the founder and head of the Marc Boutin Architectural Collaborative in Calgary. The 7 person collective is interested in blending art, architecture and urban design into their creations. Their work has been applauded both internationally and abroad and they have received numerous awards including the Architecture Award from the American Institute of Architects and the 2002/2003 Prix de Rome in Architecture. Boutin also works as a Professor of Architecture at the University of Calgary where he states he is passionate about "the intersection of teaching and research as practice."

"Memoryscape" was completed in 2013 as a commission by the City of Edmonton. The City worked with the Edmonton Arts Council to select an artist best suited for the work. The piece was created in tribute to the many military families living in and around Edmonton. Boutin said he wanted the piece to discuss the story of the soldier as both a peacekeeper and as a key figure in his or her local community and home-life. The piece consists of 9 steel boxes of varying size with perforated holes creating an image of Canadian soldiers and their families. The site for the work, situated at the back of City Hall on 104 Ave, was selected because it is the route soldiers take when they leave and return home from service.


My Thoughts: I noticed this work for the first time a few months ago and was curious what sort of story it was trying to tell. I like the fact that the work is dedicated to the dual life led by military soldiers at home and on tour. Being located at City Hall, particularly where it can be easily seen by the military, is also appropriate because of the large number of military-related events and ceremonies that take place at City Hall and on Churchill Square. That being said, I wish the work had been placed in a larger green-space, perhaps in the large front lawns of City Hall of the Square. Being tucked right next to the large building means the work is dwarfed and often missed. Also, I think the drilled holes and textures in the steel would look interesting in the sunlight. Unfortunately, due to the location of the piece, it only receives shade for most of the day.

Neon Sign Museum - 104 St and 104 Ave

Museum Info: We are taking a different route today with YEGallery. Instead of looking at a work of art, I will be featuring the Neon Sign Museum that opened this winter on 104 Street and 104 Ave. The City of Edmonton purchased 12 neon signs and refurbished 8, which can now be seen on the side of the Telus building on 104th. The city said they wanted to focus on industrial signage that saw the development of Edmonton over the past 90 years. Some of the businesses that can be seen include the Canadian National Railway, Mike's Newsstand and the Pantages Theatre. Each sign has a fascinating story discussing the provenance of the sign and the history of the institution. Many of the signs are from the earlier part of the 20th century, including the large Drug Store sign that may have a connection to one of the first neon signs in Edmonton, purchased in 1928. The City of Edmonton's website has a fantastic page that outlines the history of each sign as well as the ideas behind the project. It can be found here: http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/edmonton_archives/neon-sign-museum.aspx

 The museum is a result of a partnership between  the City of Edmonton, the Alberta Sign Association, Telus, The Places and the Downtown Business Association. The project has been in the works since 2008 as an element of the 104 Street revitalization project, helping to return the industrial heritage area into a local hotspot. The goal of the museum is to encourage residents to visit the museum and talk to each other about the history of the city and the development of the downtown core. The city is hoping the museum will grow beyond its current display. There are plans to refurbish the remaining 4 signs and the city has put out a call for the donation of more heritage signs in the hope that they will be able to add to the gallery in years to come.

My Thoughts:  There are few things I love more than turn-of-the-century industrial architecture. 104th and the surrounding streets are my favourite part of the city. Being able to see little tidbits of history hidden in with the contemporary buildings always feels like finding a hidden treasure. As a result, I was so incredibly happy when I saw this project being finished back in February. It can sometimes feel like history is hard to come by in a boom town so the effort to recognize some of the companies that helped to develop this city 100 years ago allows viewers to see Edmonton's development as a liner progression through time. Also, I really appreciate the full detailing of the history of each sign on the City's website. Not everyone has access to grandparents or other elders who grew up in Edmonton to tell them about each company. The site helps to turn the site into a functional, educational museum instead of just a novelty.

What do you think? Do you love this new sign project as much as I do? I am curious to see if the city adds more signs to the museum!

Aaron Paquette and Sylvie Nadeau, Untitled

Nadeau mural (left side)

Nadeau mural (right side)

Original Nadeau mural (centre)

Full Paquette mural

Paquette mural (left side)

Paquette mural (centre)

Paquette mural (right side)

Artist Info: Aaron Paquette is a Metis artist who lives and works in the Edmonton area. According to his website, he is a painter, writer, keynote speaker and workshop facilitator. He acts as a mentor artist as well as an activist and First Nations representative for the province of Alberta. His training is not actually in painting but in the creation of stained glass windows and metal work. This background as a goldsmith is apparent in the metal details in the mural.

Sylvie Nadeau is a Quebec-born artist who has been residing and making work in Edmonton since the 80s. She completed degrees in Fine Art at Laval University and Arts Education at the University of Alberta. Nadeau completed the original Grandin Station mural of Bishop Grandin 25 years ago. She was invited to return and complete a second mural with Paquette to discuss the controversy of the original mural. 

The original Grandin mural was created in 1989 and was a memorial to Bishop Grandin who played an active role in the early development of the area. The work became very controversial after its creation because of the role the bishop played in the creation of the residential school system in Alberta. Nadeau said she was unaware of the controversies when she painted the work and saw the piece as being about "love, compassion, learning to live and build in harmony together". Nevertheless, she has received much criticism about the piece due to its connection to Canada's painful history in the residential schooling system. As a result, she was eager for the opportunity to add to the mural and change the tone from something about darkness to a more hopeful outlook. Nadeau added a panel to either end of her original mural. The scenes show playful aboriginal children with First Nations symbols and icons in the background, showing the children's link to their culture. 

Facing the Nadeau mural is Paquette's 80 foot work. Paquette talks about his opinions of the original mural as a child in saying that he had liked the Grandin mural because it reminded him of his ancestors as the first people to live on this land. As he grew older and learned about the history of the residential schools he began to associate it with a painful chapter in Canada's history. He, just like Nadeau, was happy for the chance to continue the dialogue and make the station about celebration. 

On his mural Paquette painted both aboriginal individuals and a number of animals. In his statement about the work he identified that each one of the animals has a very important symbolic meaning; the white buffalo represents peace and hope, the wolves discuss family and a connection to the land, the bears are about healing and the raven represents a teacher and a connection between both life and death. The piece discusses the 10 000 year history of people on this land. 


My Thoughts: I had actually written a blog post about the original Nadeau work in the summer but had deleted it before it was posted. I wasn't sure what I thought about the piece. I clearly saw the connection to the residential schooling system in the mural but did not want to blame Nadeau who said it was not her intention to bring up painful memories in the piece. I didn't know what tone I wanted the post to take so I deleted it before it was finished. As a result, I was very happy when I heard that the controversial piece had been added to and could not wait to make it the next blog posting. I love the bright colours and gold details in the Paquette work. In one of his statements he talks about going down into the dark cavern of the station as a journey to discover a secret or story . I can definitely see through the mood of his piece that the story is now one of healing. 

I have added many photos to this post. Both of the Paquette piece and of Nadeau's mural. I apologize for the quality of the photos. To protect the works from the LRT the murals are now covered in glass. Unfortunately, the overhead lights in the station reflect off the glass making it hard to photograph the work. Also, being so long, the photos all come in parts. I really recommend you going to the station yourself to check out this beautiful work. There are also a ton of great photos of the mural's installation in this Edmonton Journal blog: http://blogs.edmontonjournal.com/2014/03/17/2o14-o3-16-grandin-stations-conversation/

Finally, I just wanted to let you know that blog posts will be coming slightly less frequently. I have become very busy over the past few months and have been struggling to find time and motivation to keep posting. I do still want to continue the blog but will probably drop down to only posting about once a month instead of every two weeks. If you want to keep seeing posts send me a message! I'd love to hear from you. 

Zoe Bacchus, Sherri Shorten and Harold Wollin, 'Sway'

Artist Info: The latest work on the blog is a compilation by three different individuals from varying backgrounds.  Zoe Bacchus is a Masters student at Concordia where she is researching the effects of sound on the brain. Much of her work involves the connections between sound and art and how they affect one another. She is not a stranger to art collaborations and has worked with other artists to create pieces for public, private, corporate and non-profit businesses. Sherri Shorten is a Edmonton-based architect who has made her career creating a number of private, public and tourist structures. She is also passionate about art and works as an artist on the side to create her pieces for sale at local galleries and markets. Finally, Harold Wollin is an owner a chef at the Blue Chair Cafe in Edmonton. He completed his degree at NAIT in culinary arts and has travelled all over the world where he picked up different cooking styles from a multitude of cultures. Beyond his career in the kitchen he is also a musician and an artist.

'Sway' is a 12 foot by 20 foot mosaic on the side of the Arts Habitat building at 102 Avenue just East of 106th Street. The mosaic is made up of over 12 000 ceramic tiles depicting an elm tree. According to The Places website, the elm tree is supposed to represent the harmony and connection between all three of the artists as well as the city of Edmonton itself as a major arts centre in a unique, northern location. The piece was a 2001 commission by The Places for the Edmonton Business Council for the Visual Arts.


My Thoughts: I was intrigued to learn about the elm tree as a symbol to represent all of the artists since I was definitely surprised by the differing backgrounds of the three contributors. I would like to know more about how they see the elm as a symbol and what sort of collaborative process they went through as artists to create the piece. 

I pass this work a few times a week and so I have had the opportunity to see it at all times of the year. I find I enjoy the piece much more in the summer than the winter. A major reason for this might be the colour scheme. During the winter the building and parking lot around the work is incredibly grey. I find the reds and oranges in the tiles are not particularly vibrant (perhaps due to sun fading?) so they do not jump out at me or contrast against the grey surroundings. In the summer, when the area is green, sunny and colourful, I find I enjoy the navy blue tiles which have maintained their vibrancy and provide a nice contrast to the bright surroundings. 

In whatever season, I still do like this small reference to nature in between all of the buildings of 102 Ave. What do you think? Have you noticed this work seems different with the seasons?

Catherine Burgess and Sandra Bromley, 'Big Rock'

*

Artist Info: Catherine Burgess has already been featured on the blog back in June for her sculpture 'Return'. For those who are not familiar with her work or the previous post, Burgess is Alberta-born and attended the University of Alberta where she focused in sculpture. She is best known for her steel sculptures, many of which are scattered around the city and university campus.  

Burgess completed 'Big Rock' with Sandra Bromley, another Canadian artist. Bromley also graduated from the U of A and has been recognized for her work both as an artist and with humanitarian aid efforts. She is probably best known for her massive work 'Gun Sculpture' which she completed with Wallis Kendal. The work is meant to discuss war, violence and black market weapons trafficking. Bromley is also known around Edmonton for her role in developing the iHuman Youth Society - a group that works with high risk youth to teach and create art. 

'Big Rock' consists of 62 tons of granite with a living tree on top and sits at the intersection of Rice Howard Way and 101A Street. The work was a commission from The Places in 1995. According to The Places website, the artists worked with a geologist and searched all over the country to find just the right piece of granite. Once they had found the rock, it was blasted out in 3 parts and shipped to Edmonton.

My Thoughts: I had been planning this blog post for a while so you can imagine my frustration when I walked up and saw that it is half-covered because of the nearby construction!! I have included my photo as well as a photo of the full work from The Works' website. (photo credit below). Still, it is interesting to see how it is being protected. A great example of public art conservation in action! 

I have always been drawn to this work and am happy it is finally featured on the blog. I find the historic-looking stone matches well with the cobblestone road and heritage buildings along Rice Howard Way. Also, I like the inclusion of the small tree on top of the rock. It makes me think of a small piece of nature nearly lost within the infrastructure. It also reminds me of the wind-blown pines growing out of the rock on the Canadian Shield.

Unfortunately, I don't know much about the artists' inspiration for this piece. If you have any information, please post it to the blog!!

* Photo credit: http://www.theworks.ab.ca/placesfolder/tour/pages/001.html