An artist’s canvas can come in many shapes and forms.
In this instance, for the On the Wall festival, it’s over twenty sections of a retaining wall facing the Doug Fluhrer park.
The festival’s first go was in 2014 and intended to provide graffiti artists a legal place to work without fear of being fined, according to organizer Mary Farrar.
“If you raise the bar and you start having people do amazing stuff, then tagging doesn’t seem so cool anymore,” she said.
And with roughly twenty artists participating, there are a wide range of painting styles and messages.
“I put together an image and a text, both of them are speaking from native voices about oppressed peoples, “said Aida Sulcs who uses images from native totem art.
The On the Wall festival doesn’t get underway until Saturday, but the artists are working on the panels throughout the week allowing for interaction between the artists and members of the public. Something, graffiti artists and brothers Haroey and Braden Brushey say has been an interesting experience.
“A lot of people are coming up and you get kudos and people are like that’s really cool and some people sit and watch you for… I remember it was 2014 the last time, we had people come in and they would sit down and watch us for two and a half, three (hours), all day sometimes.”
- B.C. to ban drug use in all public places in major overhaul of decriminalization
- Posters promoting ‘Steal From Loblaws Day’ are circulating. How did we get here?
- 3 women diagnosed with HIV after ‘vampire facials’ at unlicensed U.S. spa
- Canadian food banks are on the brink: ‘This is not a sustainable situation’
Saturday is when the artists will be finished their work and there will be a wide range of family suitable events taking place said co-organizer Mat Poirier.
“Tai chi, a jujitsu club, we’ve got some games for young people, we’ve got the reptile and amphibian advocacy group, we’ve got a poetry table.”
Poirier adds there will also be an opportunity for the public to add their own artistic touch.
“I know that there are a number of panels where the community will be welcome to come by and participate in the execution of the actual wall.”
On the Wall organizers have also asked the municipality to look into turning the retaining wall into a permanent year-round option for public expression and art.
Comments