Lethbridge building buzz over its public art collection

Unreality is a mural by Kylie Fineday, that's on display on the west side of the Backyard Leisure building in Lethbridge

Lethbridge is the scene of a growing collection of public art.

2022 was a busy year for the city's public art collection, with a number of ambitious projects being completed.

Coming out of the pandemic, Lethbridge residents face numerous challenges but the city is also trying to celebrate with artwork that reflects local heritage, explores Lethbridge's cultural image and helps to build a community identity.

The city's 2022 highlights include the following:

Unreality.

The mural is located on the west side of the Backyard Leisure building, at 1252 Third Ave. S.

Created by Kylie Fineday, Unreality combines various viewpoints from across Lethbridge and southern Alberta to create a fantastical landscape. It's a colourful celebration of nature, awash in teal, purple, pink and orange that makes it feel a little like a dream.

Unreality is a partnership between public and private sectors, as it was jointly funded by the city's public art program and Backyard Leisure.

The New Nature

The New Nature, by Susan Day is Lethbridge's first mosaic installation

Lethbridge's first mosaic installation is The New Nature, installed on the exterior and covered shelter wall of the Legacy Park picnic shelter.

Creator Susan Day installed thousands of handmade ceramic and mirrored tiles to create a mosaic full of human silhouettes and birds, creating a scene that allows viewers to reflect on their own relationship with nature and its role within a community.

Day mentored emerging Lethbridge-based artist Michelle Sylvestre, who is creating a companion piece to The New Nature in 2023.

Hinode

The wooden art sculpture titled Hinode, which is on display at the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden Bunka Centre fuses together Canadian and Japanese cultures.

Created by artist Takashi Iwasaki using Canadian lumber and Japanese woodworking techniques such as Kumiko (interlocking lattice) and Magewappa (wood bending), creates simple forms that evoke images of the Rocky Mountains and sugar beets filled with Japanese patterns.

Hinode by Takashi Iwasaki, fuses Canadian materials and Japanese woodworking techniques

To learn more about Lethbridge's Public Art system, go to: publicartlethbridge.ca