The Project 104 High School Collective Arts Graffiti Team unveiled their latest series of murals at the public comfort station in Crescent Park in Moose Jaw, Sask. Photos courtesy Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS)
The Project 104 High School Collective Arts Graffiti Team unveiled their latest series of murals at the public comfort station in Crescent Park in Moose Jaw, Sask.
Installed within window cavities, the murals were designed to cover up and prevent graffiti and vandalism on the building. Lead artist Emma Rowlinson helped direct the project’s participants.
Project 104 is a partnership between the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS), Cori Saas with the Prairie South School Division, the City of Moose Jaw, and its Public Art Committee. Since 2014, it has brought together students from Prairie South and Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, to display their artwork publicly while also beautifying select areas of the city.
The MJPS covers the costs of the supplies and materials for each project. For these specific murals, the Public Art Committee assisted with some additional funding. The graffiti team also partnered with a journeyman carpenter, who measured and cut the materials for free.
At the outset of the project, Rowlinson and Saas worked together to determine a theme that would best suit its location within the park. Rowlinson also did some research with her mother, as well as discussed it with a historian.
“We wanted to make sure the panels didn’t portray art that was colonial,” says Saas. “It tells a story of the bridges, which was a neutral way to honour the site. When you put art on a location, it stops the vandalism.”
MJPS Chief Bourassa also believes the artwork was a perfect fit.
“It was an opportunity for the students to express their talent and to contribute to our community being better. It has met a lot of those targets that we have.”
Since its conception, Project 104 has added murals in approximately 14 different locations around Moose Jaw.
