WILLKOMMEN!— What tall tales does your neighbourhood share? A haunted house, a crazy neighbour, a secret, long buried creek?
At the Mill Street LRT station a giant yellow pig, an orange lucky rabbit, and a sky blue version of local legend Christian Eby greet riders. For my first public art commission, I gathered stories from the Mill Street neighbourhood, combining them into a steel-collaged trio. The neighbourhood is rich in tales—from the old Schneider’s abattoir, to a 19th century faith healer, to the unbelievable abundance of rabbits popping every evening, to an apple orchard that used to grow here. It’s about the tall tales—all of the when I was your age we walked through blizzards to get to school. It’s the stories people tell even when the factory is long gone.
My approach to public art is one of inclusion. Based in creative non-fiction, the narrative should be easy to read and resonate with the community. It should also be fun, or at its best funny. I worked with Eventscape who manufactured the 3 plasma-cut steel sculptures that are a direct translation of my ink drawings. So, what stories do your neighbours tell at backyard parties? - Tara Cooper