Sometime, Always, Even: Paul Kane Park Public Art Commission
In developing this public art piece for the Edmonton Art Councils's permanent collection it was important to recognize Paul Kane Park as a deeply valued outdoor space for residents of the Oliver Community. Urban parks play an integral role in building community, fostering connection to nature and often offering an oasis for relaxation, contemplation and even meditation. My artistic practice links directly to this sense of connection, often through the use of text based works, to articulate and/or
question human connection, often in an intentionally vague or poetic way with hopes the viewer will be enticed to wonder and to make their own meaning, creating personal connection to the words and, in this instance, to the site they are located in.
I am proposed to work with text and have words or short phrases etched into the granite surface at a large scale (approximately 550pts). The granite casing and structure houses an infinity fountain, and the words ‘Sometimes, Always, Even’ acted as a starting point for the design sketches making reference to time and the starting
and stopping of the flow of water.
As I was worked through sketches the words transitioned into phrases that might speak directly to the viewer, to a sense of community and the mixed uses of the urban park. The phrases wrap the structure starting on the west facing panel reading “Sometimes when we are quiet” and on the south facing panel “Always when we are laughing” and the east facing panel “Even when we are gazing at the moon”. My hope with this piece is it will allow viewers a quiet moment of contemplation, and direct them toward feeling present and connected to the moment they find themselves in.