Mother Nature Reclaims What Belongs to Her

Artist-Initiated Microgrant 2021

A mural featuring flowing rivers and plants growing from concrete is painted on a wall underneath a bridge.
A mural featuring flowing rivers and plants growing from concrete is painted on a wall underneath a bridge.
Artists atop a scaffold use spray cans to paint a mural
A mural featuring flowing rivers and plants growing from concrete is painted on a wall underneath a bridge.
A mural featuring flowing rivers and plants growing from concrete is painted on a wall underneath a bridge.
A mural featuring flowing rivers and plants growing from concrete is painted on a wall underneath a bridge.
Artists atop a scaffold use spray cans to paint a mural
A mural featuring flowing rivers and plants growing from concrete is painted on a wall underneath a bridge.

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.

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Title:

Mother Nature Reclaims What Belongs to Her

Project Completion:

2022

Medium:

Mural

Location:

2042 10th Ave. SW

About the Artist

NASARIMBA, meaning ‘playful mischief,’ is the collaborative practice of Calgary artists Mikhail Miller and Rachel Ziriada.

Working together since 2015, the duo has cross-pollinated Mikhail’s background in painting and printmaking with Rachel’s background in multi-media installation and design. They have established themselves across Canada and Mexico through mural painting, street interventions and fine art. NASARIMBA has participated in mural festivals in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer and Winnipeg and has completed projects for clients including Scotiabank, The City of Calgary, AuArts, Tokyo Smoke, Bailey Nelson, and many other local businesses/community organizations.

The summer of 2021 saw their debut in a commercial gallery with a solo exhibition at VIVIANEART in Calgary’s community of Inglewood.

Official Website