Murals on the Heights
Every other year, the Heights Merchants Association sponsors an arts student to design and paint a mural on a prominent wall on the Heights - often, these walls are frequent victims of unsightly graffiti. Having a mural on these walls not only brightens up our neighbourhood, but deters taggers from vandalizing property. The HMA has been fortunate to work with several very talented artists over the years, and their art continues to be a promising legacy for our community.
In 2008, the HMA sponsored a mural at 4098 Hastings Street, at the corner of Gilmore Avenue. Located right at a busy intersection, this mural will be viewed every day by pedestrians, drivers, and commuters.
The mural and concept
The aesthetic inspiration of the mural is derived from Russian poster art. It depicts epic beams of light cast on a house while a family stands in the foreground. The scene is reminiscent of the first photo documentation of Height’s residence. The home itself is done in an architectural drawing style to evoke traces of ghost buildings as well to anticipate future development. The complete image speaks of the simplicity of life and is intended to energize the public space while being a reminder of humble beginnings.
The artist - Alex Achtem
Alex is a student at Emily Carr and will be returning in the fall to study installation, sculpture and media arts. She previously studied theatre design at the University of Victoria after growing up in the Okanagan Valley. Alex has had an assortment of art related jobs ranging from scenic painter, illustrator, instructor and gallery assistant. When she is not painting 30 foot walls, Alex enjoys traveling, garage sale hunting and baking pies.
Other murals on the Heights
 
2002 Mural by Jacquie Rolston 2002 Mural by Lindsay Fisher
@ Hastings & MacDonald @ Hastings & Beta
 
2004 Mural by Tomoki Quach 2006 Mural by Carrie McKellar
@ Hastings & Willingdon @ Hastings & Carleton
How to get involved
Decisions
regarding murals are made by the HMA's Mural Committee. If you are a
business or property owner interested in public art projects and would
like to get involved, please contact our office at 604-294-8899. If you
have a wall that you think would be suitable for a mural, keep it in mind for our next mural project in 2010. |
