The Project
Under the Bow Trail overpass, artist duo NASARIMBA (Mikhail Miller and Rachel Ziriada) discovered a community skate park that residents had developed using bridge architecture and salvaged building materials to create ramps and obstacles for skateboarding. Among this brutalist architecture, the duo created a mural featuring flowing water and plants specific to the region, providing a nature-inspired backdrop to the skate park.
Throughout the painting process, the artists were able to get to know users of the park and pedestrians who frequented the area, developing connections to the space and larger community. Upon completion of the mural, they collaborated with the local skateboarding to involve the Tsuut’ina Youth Program in a day of learning, painting and skateboarding.
The 2021 Artist-Initiated Microgrant
This project was funded as part of the 2021 Artist-Initiated Microgrant. Calgary Arts Development invited Calgary and area artists, or artist teams, to submit ideas to create art in public spaces. This program provided one-time funding of $150,000 overall to support the local artist community through the impacts of COVID, to a maximum of $40,000 for each project. This microgrant program recognized that public art opportunities can come from grassroots ideas that are initiated by professional artists.
Learn more here.