Beat the summer heat while exploring public art

During this heat wave, Edmonton’s recreation centres and public pools are a great place to keep cool. In these spaces throughout the city, you will find a variety of accessible and engaging artworks from Edmonton’s vibrant Public Art Collection. From bright and colourful murals to sculptures and outdoor installations, look out for these pieces on your next visit!

Ripples on a Pond by William Frymire // 2017
Borden Natural Swimming Pool

In keeping with the natural water theme of Borden Natural Swimming Pool, William Frymire’s large mosaic echoes the environment and picks up on the circular cues inherent in the facility’s design.

The colourful modern mosaic resembles a small pond and features three native Albertan aquatic species in the Western Painted Turtle, the Leopard Frog and the Dragonfly. Said the artist, ​“All are interdependent species susceptible to human modification of our natural environment. Calling attention to them through the mosaic is educational and the illusion of a shallow pond conveys the message in a playful and fun manner while underlining the natural filtration of the pool’s ecosystem.”

ARC by Scott Sueme // 2014
Abbottsfield Recreation Centre

This mural reflects the community surrounding the Abbottsfield Recreation Centre, urban art, and the power of artistic collaboration. Scott Sueme is well-known for geometric works reflecting his background as a graffiti (street) artist. He meshed this artistic practice with images created by community members at a weekend art workshop in February 2014. Noticing many recurring patterns within the artworks, he integrated them into the artistic concept and finished mural. The stripes represent unity of purpose or goals, contrasted with the use of colour to highlight a sense of individuality.

Eclipse by Christian Moeller // 2015
Clareview Community Recreation Centre

Artist Christian Moeller was inspired by two unrelated thoughts when he set out to create Eclipse— architecture and activity. Initially, he was struck by the Clareview Community Recreation Centre’s unique architecture. The openness and flow of the architectural floor plan with the running track encircling the void space in both lobbies reminded him of an old-fashioned air pylon race – where aircraft fly between large pylons. Moeller also considered the diversity of the recreational, cultural, and community activities to be hosted at the recreation centre.

untitled by Eugene Uhuad // 2015
Clareview Community Recreation Centre

Communities are dynamic mosaics of culture, activity, personalities, emotions, and individuals. To celebrate the Clareview Multicultural Centre, photographer Eugene Uhuad spent nearly a year photographing community gatherings and the many people who gather at the Centre. The women portrayed in each super-scaled portrait are real community members who represent the women, families, children, and men who call Clareview home.

A Point Becomes a Line by Jeff Kulak // 2012
Hardisty Fitness and Leisure Centre

A Point Becomes a Line consists of a large, bold, abstract representation of water that is repeated on the four interior walls of the pool area. Kulak chose a warm, rich palette that brings levity and energy to the interior space and alludes to the 1960s era of its architecture.

Kulak created the artwork using a water-based process called paper marbling: ink was floated on the surface of still water, forming concentric rings; paper was placed on the water’s surface to absorb the ink pattern. Kulak then digitally manipulated the image to create the final artwork.

Neon Sky by Victoria Wiercinski // 2019
Jasper Place Leisure Centre

Neon Sky is a multi-layered, hand-painted mural featuring a brightly patterned modern drawing of prairie skyscapes. Artist Victoria Wiercinski is inspired by the presence of nature in Edmontonian’s daily lives, while acknowledging that bitter winter days often force us inside. Her artwork interacts with the idea of the pool as a year-round lake and provides a sky. The painting evokes the expansive outdoors, sunsets, and the big skies of summer. Her intent is to transport swimmers of all ages to the outside realm through her trademark swirling, contrasting, abstract patterns.

Sound Columns by Darren Copeland and Andreas Kahre // 2011
Queen Elizabeth Pool

Sound Columns is an audio installation that uses water and underwater recordings from locations in and around Edmonton: the North Saskatchewan river valley, public pools and water parks, fish hatcheries, and even West Edmonton Mall. These recordings became the source material for a series of compositions that blend with the sounds at the site of the new Queen Elizabeth Pool. Using ​“audio spotlights’— speakers that create a focussed beam of sound — the work invites audiences to explore these sounds by ​“immersing” themselves in the audio streams located at the entrance to the Pool.

Henri by Craig LeBlanc // 2011
Terwillegar Recreation Centre

The idea of community, gathering and comfort is at the heart of Craig Le Blanc’s sculptural installation, Henri. A sleeping cat is quietly and securely curled in a net, suspended above a community gathering space as a representation of an idyllic environment with suggestions of safekeeping, home and comfort. In time Henri may become a more intimate part of the neighbourhood landscape, and a familiar component of personal, family and community activities.

The Ballroom by France Dubois // 2014
The Meadows Community Recreation Centre

The Ballroom is a three-dimensional drawing conceived for the four walls of the multipurpose area in the Meadows Community Recreation Centre. It displays the trajectories of bouncing balls across a virtual space contained by those same four walls, The Ballroom is where balls escaped from the nearby gymnasium and pool area come to dance.

This is just a small sampling of the incredible public artworks in Edmonton’s Public Art Collection! Head to edmon​tonarts​.ca/​p​u​b​l​icart to further explore the collection.