Street Art Sunday

Sculptors guild

Street Art Sunday - Smooch

I found this artwork on the side of a wall in the beltline district. This is an area of downtown Calgary that over many years became run down and is now being extensively redeveloped. Skyscrapers are being built, trees are being planted along broad walkways but right now the area is pretty raw.
There are a few, a very few, original buildings standing in an oasis of temporary parking lots and this mural was on the side of one of them. A row of stores that housed an art co-operative, a tattoo parlour and two hair-dressing salons.
I saw one guy was in the chair getting his arm tattooed, three hairdressers chatting at the end of a long day and this couple engaged in long smooch.

Street Art Sunday - Chinese Cone thing

Street Art Sunday - Bull Rider

piece is called 8 minutes to glory

Street Art Sunday - Tea anyone?

Street Art Sunday - touchy-feely sculpture

Street Art Sunday - Pregnant

Street Art Sunday - Nellie

Street Art Sunday - Is it a Bird...a plane...?

Street Art Sunday #11

I have no idea what this sculpture is nor what it's supposed to represent...but I quite like it. I think it looks like some kind of friendly chicken!

There are a series of odd pieces of art along the Bow river pathway. They provide food for thought as you run or cycle past. This pathway is well used by many daily commuters who cycle downtown to work each day. This shot was taken early on a Sunday morning so there were only a few folk about but on weekday mornings this pathway is buzzing.

Street Art Sunday - Family of Man

Street Art Sunday #10

These statues are some of my favourite street art ever...anywhere in the world.
Partly it's their scale (these figures are 21 feet tall!), partly it's their obviously hand-built, rough-hewn appearance but mostly it's their skinny, fragile elongation. They remind me of refugees...and we have many communities of refugees here in Calgary, trying to create a better life for themselves and becoming part of the rich fabric of Canada in the process.
I can't really explain it...but I love them.

The sculpture is called "The Family of Man" and was created by Mario Armengol for the British Pavilion of Expo 1967. The figures that comprise this piece are timeless, however. There are ten of them in all, standing in a circle - hands almost touching but not quite. They are male and female, all naked, but of no specific race and all reaching out...to one another and to the world.
I think that's what we should all be doing more of.

Check out my other blog for more pictures of this piece of art work.

Street Art Sunday - Airport Horse

Street Art Sunday #9

This giant horse stands in the Kananaskis departure hall at the Calgary International airport. He is one of my favourite pieces of street art in the city. It's those rich colours and the effect of patchwork fields tattooed all over his body I think.

Street Art Sunday - Prairie chicken

Street Art Sunday #8

This is a shot looking up through the gleaming steel belly (or ribs I suppose) of the University of Calgary's most famous sculpture : The Prairie Chicken. I think the artist was a guy named George Norris but not much more information was available.

Street Art Sunday - Hopeful Hands

Street Art Sunday #7
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This shot shows one half of a giant mural in downtown Calgary... I posted the dove that is flying from these hands back in March. The mural is painted on the side of the CUPS building. Calgary Urban Projects (CUPS) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to ending individual and family poverty and their message is one of hope.

They deal with people living life on the margins of society...as do the Calgary police who's vans also feature in this shot.

And spot the crane! Like I said in an earlier post, these days it's hard to get a picture of Calgary that doesn't include a crane!

Street Art Sunday - Zebra

Street Art Sunday #6

This zebra is just one critter in a whole parade of animals at the entrance to the Calgary Zoo. They stand about nine feet high and extend about fifty feet and cast the most wonderful shadows on the sidewalk when it's sunny.

Kids love to climb on them too.

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The artist was Lucy Curtis and the piece was comissioned in memory of a long time benefactor of the zoo, Mona Libin. They reminded me of those curled paper cards that you sometimes find at craft fairs but I loved the scale and ruggedness of the weathered metal they were made from.

Street Art Sunday

Street Art Sunday #5

This is sponsored grafitii. It's on the side of Art Central in downtown Calgary which is one of my favourite places to go at the weekend because there's always something interesting to look at..artwork inside and artwork outside.

So this is graffiti...but not...I think it raises an interesting question. Can true graffiti be sponsored? Isn't the whole point about graffiti that it's supposed to be anarchic?

This particular piece is probably someone famous...a rapper maybe. Unfortunately I am hopeless with famous faces and names so I have no clue. Perhaps someone out there knows. I just like the energy of the piece...and at the entrance to a dull downtown back alley it makes a statement.

Street Art Sunday

Street Art Sunday #4

This old horse is one of my faviourite pieces of street art in downtown Calgary. He's been there as long can remember though these days he's looking a little sad. He has somehow ended up on a shadowed street corner ( hence the contrast in this picture) where no one really notices him much.

He's made from scrap metal; old pitchforks, tractor seats, engine parts that I'm not qualified to identify and stands about 9 feet tall (too high to climb on his back for a ride.)

And in the background is Calgary's most distinctive landmark...the Tower.

Street Art Sunday

Street Art Sunday #3

This statue is on the University of Calgary campus. It is one of six bronze figures holding up an enormous arch made of sheet metal of some kind. I have no idea what this enigmatic arch and the six bearers are meant to represent or even what the title is...I did try to find out but information was sadly lacking!

The androgynous figures are beautifully sculpted though.

On the day I was there, two young girls were enjoying clambering on them and then jumping off.

Share The Flame!

Street Art Sunday #2

I guess this isn't exactly street art since it's obviously inside a building! It is in a public space however, the lobby of the Petro-Canada Tower to be precise.

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The tower has fifty-two floors and fabulous views of the Rockies from the offices at the top - I'm told. This statue stands in the lobby which is always open to the public because it forms part of the +15 walkway system. In winter (when it gets a little chilly....say -40c) many of the downtown offices are connected by a series of indoor, heated walkways 15 metres above ground. That way it is possible to travel from office to office and cover many city blocks without ever having to expose yourself to the frigid temperatures.

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The two guys in the statue are holding the Olympic Torch from the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. The statue is called 'Share the Flame'.

Petro Canada announced this week that they have commisioned a 25 foot totem pole to commemerate the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Street Art Sunday

Just so you know...Sundays on this blog will be dedicated to Street Art (both the official and the unofficial kind) and and so this is the first posting for: -

Street Art Sunday #1

This shot shows half of a giant mural in downtown Calgary. It's painted on the side of the CUPS building. Calgary Urban Projects (CUPS) is a non-profit organistation dedicated to ending individual and family poverty and their message is one of hope. They deal with people living life on the margins of society and on weekdays their doors are always open.
The mural is beautiful and a bright spot on a dusty downtown street corner.