Outrage is growing over plans to paint over a beloved Calgary mural and replace it with a Black Lives Matter one..A mural called Giving Wings to the Dream, done by Calgary artist Doug Driediger in 1995, has graced the outside of the downtown Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS) building..But after city council approved more than $120,000 for four BLM murals in Calgary, Driediger’s mural will be painted over..That has at least one Calgary councillor and an MP up in arms..“This is devastating. This mural has stood for care and hope for decades for Calgary’s homeless, hungry and vulnerable. There are plenty of walls in our metropolis. Particularly given our high vacancy rate. Please pick another,” tweeted Stephanie Kusie, Calgary Midnapore MP..Councillor Diane Colley-Urquhart also took to Twitter to announce her anger..“I am deeply opposed to the approach that is being used regarding the new BLM mural downtown. I feel it bypasses the approach of the Public Art review, skipping over the public engagement process. This is not a time when we need more controversy surrounding race relations,” she tweeted..Calgary Arts Development has set aside a budget of $20,000 for the first mural..“(I have) an unease over the idea that something that’s valid and vital would be covered by another artist’s work,” Driediger told Global News..“Surely there should be some professional respect for work that exists, so that just leaves me a little concerned.”.The mural measuring nine metres feet in height by 41 metres in width is seen by an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 Calgarians per day due to its location opposite the Centre Street LRT station..The CDA wants the murals done by the end of October. Artists have until Aug. 17 to submit their proposals..Their ad states: “Candidates must be representative of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities. Two Spirit, Indigiqueer, and Black LGBTQQIP2SA+ artists will be given priority for the Phase I mural. No mural painting experience is necessary to apply—we will work with artists of any experience level to achieve their design.”.A petition to have to location of the BLM mural changed has received thousands of names..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
Outrage is growing over plans to paint over a beloved Calgary mural and replace it with a Black Lives Matter one..A mural called Giving Wings to the Dream, done by Calgary artist Doug Driediger in 1995, has graced the outside of the downtown Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS) building..But after city council approved more than $120,000 for four BLM murals in Calgary, Driediger’s mural will be painted over..That has at least one Calgary councillor and an MP up in arms..“This is devastating. This mural has stood for care and hope for decades for Calgary’s homeless, hungry and vulnerable. There are plenty of walls in our metropolis. Particularly given our high vacancy rate. Please pick another,” tweeted Stephanie Kusie, Calgary Midnapore MP..Councillor Diane Colley-Urquhart also took to Twitter to announce her anger..“I am deeply opposed to the approach that is being used regarding the new BLM mural downtown. I feel it bypasses the approach of the Public Art review, skipping over the public engagement process. This is not a time when we need more controversy surrounding race relations,” she tweeted..Calgary Arts Development has set aside a budget of $20,000 for the first mural..“(I have) an unease over the idea that something that’s valid and vital would be covered by another artist’s work,” Driediger told Global News..“Surely there should be some professional respect for work that exists, so that just leaves me a little concerned.”.The mural measuring nine metres feet in height by 41 metres in width is seen by an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 Calgarians per day due to its location opposite the Centre Street LRT station..The CDA wants the murals done by the end of October. Artists have until Aug. 17 to submit their proposals..Their ad states: “Candidates must be representative of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities. Two Spirit, Indigiqueer, and Black LGBTQQIP2SA+ artists will be given priority for the Phase I mural. No mural painting experience is necessary to apply—we will work with artists of any experience level to achieve their design.”.A petition to have to location of the BLM mural changed has received thousands of names..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
