Walking Home Yaletown Public Art

This summer Walking Home Projects, in partnership with Immigrant Services Society, is working with 16 talented and ambitious students in a rigorous exploration and interpretation of Public Art across downtown Vancouver. During three hour sessions twice per week–meeting during rain, sun, and wind–we map new courses, uncover the contexts of each sculptural installation and site we visit, and picnic while developing creative and critical thinking.

In this experiential learning environment, Walking Home Yaletown Public Art (WHYPA) reveals neighbourhood history overlaid with contemporary urban life. While developing an understanding of urban planning and the development of a mixed use downtown Vancouver, the project highlights public amenities including the seawall, parks, community centres, museums and galleries, the City of Vancouver Public Art Program and the Vancouver International Sculpture Biennale.

The project aims to highlight, animate and connect youth with existing resources, as well as expand possibilities for empowered individual exploration of our city and policies guiding social infrastructure. In addition to site visits to public artwork, participants benefit from meeting experts in Vancouver’s urban planning, history, architecture, and public art, as well as artists, curators, arts educators and administrators.

“Walking Home really is an amazing program. It has helped me open my mind to the splendor in the city. Prior to this program, I had never so much as recognized the public art around me, but now I find myself pointing out what I see to my friends, trying to get them to see it too. This program helped me realize that, sometimes, all you really have to do is open your eyes.” — Justina Lee, 17

The project has been designed to provide an opportunity for youth to experience a direct connection to our immediate environment–both natural and constructed–and to gain an understanding of how ideas and intention become policy, resulting in action and infrastructure which shape our social and lived experiences in public spaces. Introducing these concepts and facts intentionally impacts participants:

“This has been an incredible opportunity to be given insight. Inspired, motivated, driven and eager are just a few of the many emotions I feel toward this program [which] has helped me grow as an individual both on an intellectual and creative level... allowing me to have even greater respect and admiration for [my community].” — Hiiro Prince, 18

WHYPA seeks to engage youth in dynamic considerations of social and urban life, especially with the hope of enticing rigorous considerations for courses of study, career exploration and civic engagement–from an informed and empowered point of view.

We make use of art as both a means of engagement and expression. With the generous support of local businesses including Opus Framing & Art Supplies, we are writing, drawing, photographing, and audio recording our responses to the project content. Watch for us this summer–we may stop you for an interview or to pose for a sketch or photo.

Follow our progress at walkinghomeprojects.blogspot.com or contact us at walkinghomeprojects@gmail.com

PHOTO CREDITS
The photos to the right of the article were taken by Walking Home Yaletown Public Art students. Click on these thumbnail images to view the full size images.

1. The Stop, Michael Zheng. Photographed by Laurie Dawson.
2. Freezing Water #7, Jun Ren. Photographed by Laurie Dawson.
3. George Wainborn Park, Yaletown. Photographed by Claudia Chan.
4. Marking High Tide, Don Vaughan. Photographed by Claudia Chan.