There has been a debate in the media about the abrupt termination of the moss graffiti project I started on July 23rd with the art class group at the South Hill Education Centre, as one of the components of our We Are Here Community Mapping Project:
http://blogs.canoe.ca/davidakin/energy/todays-lesson-pipelines-are-evil/
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/07/30/vancouver-graffiti-artist-dismissed-from-mural
http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/local/2012/07/30/20045756.html
After having two inspiring sessions with the students, where the participants had the chance to identify or “map” different issues of their individual and collective concern present in their community/neighbourhood, along with a great photo-shoot session, the group agreed on presenting 5 different proposals that were intended to be installed in one of the walls of the Sunset Community Centre using the moss graffiti technique.
After presenting them during the second session, they concluded with one great proposal that included one of the portraits taken during the first session and a tag line or message reflecting on the common environmental issues addressed somehow in all the small group proposals pitched before: “How green are you?”
Even though the project was stopped before its completion, I would like to continue working with this amazing group of students that generated a very interesting moss graffiti mural proposal, and extend an open invitation to each one of the participants to complete this project outside their art class schedule and outside the South Hill art class curriculum.
I really value, respect the community art process the students already started and think their participation is very important until the full completion of the project they were invited to actively take part on.
Juliana Bedoya
Langara College Continuing Studies will run a new course this September on Public Art.
