WATCH: Friends of murdered Halifax activist Raymond Taavel have started a campaign to create a public work of art to commemorate his life. Rebecca Lau reports.
HALIFAX – Friends of murdered Halifax activist Raymond Taavel have started a campaign to create a public work of art to commemorate his life.
Taavel was murdered in the early hours of April 17, 2012 while trying to help a man on Gottingen Street who was being beaten.
In the days and months after his death, a makeshift memorial was created across the street. A visiting artist later constructed a healing garden in the adjacent lot.
However, neither of these memorials were permanent and once again, there are calls to create a lasting tribute.
“That kind of spirit over three years later hasn’t died down,” said Barry Boyce, who worked for 13 years with Taavel.
“There are people who want to see some kind of commemoration – not of Raymond’s death, but of his life.”
Boyce is part of a new committee that has started fundraising and brainstorming ideas. The goal is to create a piece of public art that is both meaningful and functional.
“Some of the ideas that have been tossed around already are to have some kind of a soap box, which represents getting up there and making your views known,” he said.
“There’s the idea of a lamp post that would shed a rainbow-coloured light. We’ve also had the idea of a bench with a sculpture of Raymond sitting there so you could sit next to him and hang out.”
The group is in the early stages of planning and hope to create a video soon that will showcase Haligonians who have been touched by Taavel’s work and life. Taavel was a community activist and well-known in the LGBTQ community.
Regardless of what the memorial looks like, friends say the fact that it will be in the form of public art is fitting.
“It’s something that he actually really enjoyed. He really loved art,” said Adriana Afford, who is part of the committee and owns Argyle Fine Art on Barrington Street.
“It’s just a way to actually make something really beautiful in remembrance of him.”
The group says the biggest hurdle right now is finding a location for the memorial. They’re encouraging the public to pitch in ideas for spots and designs.
To learn more about the project, you can visit the committee’s Facebook page.
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