Calgary’s first vacant-office-to-affordable-housing conversion on 7 Ave. S.W. will have Alberta’s largest mural, coming in at 15,000 square feet. .“I’m so honored to be able to create this piece,” said artist Jacquie Comrie in a press release. .“As a woman of colour and a new mother who is looking at this era where mental health issues are on the rise from the pandemic, I feel like this time has been a lot for a lot of people.” .Comrie named the mural Neoma after the building. Neoma represents the new moon, renewal, fresh starts, motherhood, and comfort. . Building mural nowBuilding mural now .The release said Comrie started to paint Neoma on the building’s western wall on August 15. .It said the vacant office building is being transformed by HomeSpace into a space with 82 affordable housing units, a family emergency shelter, and supports. The building will open to people soon after the mural is completed. .“We’re so excited for this beautiful piece to see the light of day,” said HomeSpace CEO Bernadette Majdell. .“When families come to find shelter with our partners at Inn from the Cold, or when they come home to their apartments, they can be proud to live in a beautiful space that is known for improving Calgary’s downtown with affordable homes and public art.” .Neoma is coming to Calgary as part of the 2022 Beltline Urban Mural Project (BUMP) Festival. This year’s BUMP Festival will bring 19 new large scale murals to walls and 60 smaller paintings to jersey barriers across Calgary. .“The purpose and objective of this installation and experience is to be connected, uplifted while honouring and holding space for their mental health and wellness,” said Comrie. .This mural comes after a Black Lives Matter display postponed in 2020 that was planned for a downtown Calgary location was moved to Chinatown. .READ MORE: Calgary BLM mural now headed for Chinatown.“Pink Flamingo will be postponing our mural project to Summer 2021 due to the violent vitriol, racism and threats we have received in the last 36 hours,” said the organization. .“We do not wish to add to the harm our community experiences.”
