The Northeast Public Art Initiative aims to finish the current project by the year’s end. Photo courtesy Hortamassia
A 9.144-m (30-ft) high mural, part of a project to increase public art in Northeast Calgary, Alta., was completed by local artists Tiffany Lynn Cuffley and Harvey Nichol on the eastern wall of the building of the charitable institution VIVO.
The mural is a part of the Northeast Public Art Initiative to address the lack of public art in northeast Calgary compared to other quadrants. The project not only aims to increase public art opportunities in northeast Calgary, but also support local artists and businesses.
“The title of the mural is Kapwa, a Tagalog word meaning ‘our shared identity,’” Nichol told Hortamassia. The mural is located at the VIVO for Healthier Generations community centre, which partnered with the Parks Foundation and the City of Calgary to complete the project. The Kapwa is 30 ft x 27.4-m (90-ft).
Julie Yepishina-Geller, Public Art Liaison and team lead for the City of Calgary’s public art program, told Hortamassia that, in discussions with the people of the community, she found “they wanted to see art in their community, they wanted to see themselves reflected in the art, and they also wanted to see projects that celebrated local artists.” Therefore, the artists worked with VIVO to identify the elements that would reflect the community surrounding the centre.
The Northeast Public Art Initiative aims to finish the current project by the year’s end. A sum of $1 million was earmarked for the Initiative, engaging more than 40 local artists in creating artwork. Additionally, 10 community centres in the northeast have established galleries to showcase the diverse works of these artists.
