Canmore’s newest public art installations were celebrated Friday evening (Aug. 22) at the Town’s civic centre, where the local works of art now covering 14 Fortis utility boxes throughout Canmore were on display with the artists themselves attending the reception.
Provided through the Town’s Public Art Program and a new partnership with Fortis, seven local artists had the opportunity to transform utility boxes into wrapped artwork that would contribute to the vitality and attractiveness of the town’s environment.
“We’re recognizing our new partner Fortis, our seven artists and 14 new, amazing utility boxes and that’s why we’re here tonight,” said Town of Canmore Arts and Events Supervisor Chris Bartolomie.
“We had seen some utility boxes in Calgary and were quite intrigued with the project, but in Calgary they had actually painted the boxes so we were thinking of doing that here as well ... and we met with them (Fortis) and a great partnership was formed and we did wraps of boxes instead of painting.
“We found that 3M had a product out that ... is such a non-porous surface that you really couldn’t spray paint or write anything on there that you could easily wipe off and also came with a 10 year UV coated protection that would last very well in weather,” said FortisAlberta communications advisor Mona Bartsoff.
Early this year, the Canmore Public Art Committee requested proposals from local artists for the program. Seven proposals were accepted, with the intention of each piece of artwork being wrapped on two utility boxes. The artists include Rob Alexander, Bigoudi, Shirley Chinneck, Patti Dyment, Joe Martin, Chrissy Nickerson and Dana Roman.
“I loved the project, I really did and I love that what they chose is so diversified, and it’s great that each design is in two places,” Chinneck said. “I went and looked at the site (Railway Avenue, in front of Can-Bow Motors) and I thought, Maybe it would be nice to have flowers to greet people coming into town.”
“I feel very fortunate to be included in the project and the public art process and I think the wrapping of the utility boxes is a very easy way to engage the public in art,” Nickerson said. “I’m happy that it was all local Canmore artists that took part in it ... I would recommend any public art project to try the utility box project one year or another because I think it’s very non-obtrusive and it’s non argumentative because the boxes are already there.”
The art program committee worked with Fortis to identify the locations used, with the intention that some boxes be located in the downtown core, and others in outlying areas of town, with Fortis producing the wraps and installing them.
Visit, www.canmore.ca/About-Canmore/Arts-and-Culture/Town-of-Canmore-Public-Art-Program.html for more information on Canmore’s Public Art Program.
Artists and location of utility boxes, include:
Rob Alexander: Railway Avenue (in front of RBC) and entrance to the Nordic Centre
Bigoudi: Railway Avenue (beside Starbucks) and the intersection of Bow Valley Trail and Benchlands Trail
Shirley Chinneck: Railway Avenue (in front of Can-Bow Motors) and the intersection of Three Sisters Parkway and Cairns on the Bow
Patti Dyment: Railway Avenue (in front of Shoppers Drug Mart) and Benchlands Trail (near the Iron Goat)
Joe Martin: Railway Avenue (in front of the Rose and Crown) and the intersection of Three Sisters Parkway and Fitzerald Rise
Chrissy Nickerson: Railway Avenue (near Fire Hall) and Centennial Park
Dana Roman: in front of the Seniors Centre and in the parking lot behind Tourism Canmore.
