The beauty of art, they say, is in the eye of the beholder.
But some person, or persons, in the Crown Point neighbourhood have taken their thoughts on a recent display to a destructive level.
A group of local artists created works to be displayed along the Pipeline Trail, which runs through the east end neighbourhood, and surrounding parks.
On Feb. 1, the art work — six pieces — was unveiled, and, according to project co-ordinator Ingrid Mayrhofer, was a hit. “We had so much positive response from the neighbours,” said Mayrhofer. In an area of the city that sees little public art, art education or production spaces, neighbours were enthusiastic.
It was on the third day that Mayrhofer noticed something was wrong. At Trisha Lavoie’s “Iced Fishing,” located on the trail just east of Park Row North, the poles of her structure had been broken. In the days following, graffiti was spray painted on it, and it was pelted with eggs. Eventually, several crocheted items inside, including a fish, beer cans, and thermos, were stolen.
Other pieces were vandalized as well. A series of snowflakes, made by community members and displayed on trees and fences, had batteries stolen. An interactive musical piece created by contemporary sound artist David Gould in Andrew Warburton Memorial Park was damaged, and balls used to create the sounds were taken.
The vandals saved most of their wrath for artist Donna Akrey’s work. Her piece, titled “The Last Icebergs,” allowed viewers to use silicon casts to make tiny ‘icebergs’ which could then be added to the display. It proved popular with visitors in Warburton Park, at least for a couple of days before it suffered major damage.
Akrey repaired the broken wood structure as best she could, and repositioned some of it. But the vandals prevailed, forcing her to abandon her attempt at Winterfest neighbourhood fun.
Though disappointed, Akrey has turned her attention to the vandals. “Now I’m thinking, what can I make work for these kids who are vandalizing?” she said.
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She mused about replacing her art with coffee gifts cards. “Go have a coffee and a doughnut on me,” she said, and talked it through with someone. “Maybe you hate art, maybe you are a climate change denier, maybe you are disenfranchised, with nothing for you to do in the community. Maybe you’re just angry. Why don’t you talk about that?”
But the group, including Ingrid Mayrhofer, is resilient. Given all the vandalism, would she do it again?
“Of course.”
