Growing Here
"Growing Here" concerns itself with creating spaces where guests can contemplate the sense of living with sustained social and political instability, and how art can not only produce common ground, but invite differing interpretations on multiple viewings.
There is no dedicated beginning or end to the exhibitions – simply begin with what catches your eye and let that guide you. Jason Peter’s Little Doodle, perched on the roof of the Glass Box, loops in bright white during the day and glows in an iridescent series of colours during the evening. Nearby, Piano Listening to Itself, the iconic installation by celebrated artist Gordon Monahan, comprised of the exposed soundboard of a grand piano, connected by piano wires to the Glass Box roof, playing haunting renditions of Chopin, day and night. If it’s breezy, you may here an abstraction as the piano wires vibrate with the wind. Across the bridge is the vibrant, abstract sculpture by Quebec artist Jennifer Lefort. Comprised of powder coated aluminum and vibrant plexi, the piece will be comprised of two sections: From the ground, the piece is anchored to the concrete pad and reach up to the top of the fence. Secured to the fence, are additional pieces, giving the piece more height and dimension.
Across the river, Bryce Wymer’s 75 ft mural presents a series of abstract forms that are intended to connect viewers to their surroundings, toes wriggling in water and fingers brushing rich foliage. Ascension, a sculpture from An Te Liu, is comprised of casts of Styrofoam packaging used to protect electronics on their way from factor to consumer. Here, the shapes are cast in bronze and stacked to create a sentry or totem. Further along the path near the water, you’ll find street artist BirdO’s sculpture tucked between the trees, combining abstract forms with paintings of birds. On the wall is Micah Lexier’s Puzzle, one of two images that can be created by repositioning a series of rearrangeable wooden puzzle pieces on the deck.
In the front of the building, AFTERGLOW / Aftergrowth by Calgary based artists Caitlind r.c. Brown and Wayne Garrett covers the tree stump in decorative patterns made up of a reflective, prismatic material. During the day, it appears white and lacey with a rainbow haze. At night when light shines on it, it glows stark white. At the door, a site-specific installation by Alex Morrison delicately cuts aluminum panels together to create a lantern with abstracted faces that “kiss” at the corners, greeting and sending off everyone who passes through our doors.
We hope you give yourself the opportunity to contemplate each of these pieces, take a moment to consider how they frame or reframe your surroundings and the thoughts that lead you from one piece to the next.
