Fifteen local artists were involved in a huge mural that was unveiled Tuesday in the underground Edmonton pedway that connects Churchill LRT station and the City Centre mall.
The artwork, named The YEG Dignity Mural, is composed of 32 circular panels that took a different approach to the theme, “Our Mother As Earth,” the city said.
Nexi Alarcon with the John Humphrey Centre, which partnered with the City of Edmonton to create the mural, said the team who made it was made up of mostly young and emerging artists from diverse backgrounds.
“We want people to walk by it and look at them and see a piece that resonates with them, a piece that they see themselves in,” said Alarcon.
Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said the mural is part of the efforts underway to showcase Edmonton’s downtown.
“This breathtaking installation furthers our commitment to create more inclusive and attractive public spaces for transit riders and the public,” he said.
Alarcon said one of the team’s biggest goals is to spark conversations about dignity and multiculturalism, while helping transit users feel safe.
“Let’s be honest here, this pedway has been bleak for quite some time — it lacked colour, it looked very artificial,” said Alarcon.
The push to put art in transit stations started in 2018 with the Paint the Rails initiative, according to the city. So far, murals have been installed in Churchill, University, Corona, Kingsway and Clareview stations.
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