City of Nanaimo announces selection of 2024 Temporary Public Art

City of Nanaimo’s 2024 Temporary Public Art Program includes projects by Robert Turriff and Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed February 20, 2024 10:00 AM

Summary

The City of Nanaimo is excited to announce the selection of two new public art projects by artists Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun and Robert Turriff as part of the 2024 Temporary Public Art program.

“Siwul tu Tumuxw” by Eliot White-Hill is a sound installation that will recontextualize space and our understanding of Snuneymuxw tumuxw, the land upon which the City of Nanaimo has been built. Site-specific installation using outdoor speakers and recorded sounds of species of animals, birds, and insects Indigenous to the area, will be discretely placed at sites throughout the Old City Quarter. These sounds will serve as an artistic intervention in the urban landscape, drawing traditional Snuneymuxw knowledge and stories about the land back to the surface. The artist seeks to raise awareness and knowledge about the environment and ecosystems of the region, the impacts of colonization, and traditional teachings passed down by Snuneymuxw. The project will be installed in Old City Quarter in 2024 and on display for public engagement and enjoyment for up to five years.

"Re-wilders" by Robert Turriff will involve the creation of a collection of sculptural creatures, the shape and form of which will be developed through community workshops. Inspired by themes in science fiction, the creatures will symbolically engage in plant management, demonstrating tasks like invasive plant removal and native plant cultivation, thereby fostering resilience to climate change and encouraging beneficial environmental habitats. The creatures serve as catalysts meant to inspire the community, illustrating practical steps for future land stewardship. Free community workshops will enhance the project, helping the artist craft the creatures form and mythos, and in doing so, evoking a sense of ecological responsibility. This collaborative effort encourages the community to actively contribute to the project, inspiring action for a sustainable ecosystem in Nanaimo. “Re-Wilders” will be installed in Colliery Dam Park in 2024 and on display for public engagement and enjoyment for up to five years.

A FREE community workshop with Robert Turriff for youth aged 7 to 16 will take place Saturday, March 2nd from 10AM-3PM at the Rotary Field House. Workshop participants will have an opportunity to learn about local ecology and plant life before designing their very own creature! Email cultureandevents@nanaimo.ca for more information or to sign-up.

The City of Nanaimo’s Temporary Public Art Program offers artists of diverse backgrounds and skillsets the opportunity to create artwork for public space. Artists can propose artworks that vary in scale, scope, and medium, including temporary sculptural installations, social practice and community engaged artist projects and artwork that is integrated into landscape, architecture or civic infrastructure.

Learn more about public art on the Temporary Art Program page at www.nanaimo.ca.

Link to Strategic Plan: The Temporary Public Art Program supports the goals of Nanaimo City Council and City Plan by making art visible and accessible throughout the City and promoting the role that culture and the creative sector play in enhancing both community identity and quality of life.

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