Looking through the glass: Holyrood Lanterns

The Valley Line Southeast LRT project is adding a splash of colour and texture to communities along the route thanks to the City’s Percent for Art Policy, managed by the Edmonton Arts Council. 

The Valley Line Southeast LRT project’s public art collection will include 14 different projects including art glass at five of the eleven stops and at Davies Station, five stop canopy sculptures, one mosaic, one series of paintings and one inflatable sculpture. Additional opportunities for artists to get involved in Valley Line Public Art are yet to be announced. 

Individual artists, organizations and collectives sent in 260 submissions for the public art opportunities along the 13 km LRT route. Each submission was reviewed by selection committees made up of community members, local artist representatives, project personnel and City of Edmonton staff. The commissions were awarded to four Edmonton-based artists, three Alberta-based artists, one international artist, one Indigenous artist team and one Métis artist. 

Let’s take a closer look at the Holyrood Lanterns project.

Similar to the previous artworks we’ve featured, community engagement was important for refining the concept and building a strong connection between the community and the artwork. 

Adad Hannah, the artist who created the piece, took a hands-on approach (pre-global pandemic, of course). 

“I always try to cast a wide net in my community-engaged projects as I want to have a broad group of people take part. I worked with several classes from the high school as well as a group of locals. We spent time wandering around the Holyrood neighbourhood chatting, taking pictures, and looking at each other’s photographs,” Adad explained. 

Together they captured nearly one thousand photographs of Holyrood and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

The volunteer photographers captured a variety of subjects including the local rink, Bonnie Doon Mall, fences, gardens, local buildings and even one photographer’s shadow. Adad used these images to create a kaleidoscope-like collage of the neighbourhood. Valley Line Southeast LRT passengers who want the full experience will have to look up and spin around to see the images that wrap around the top of each stop shelter. 

The artwork is intended to evoke a sense of joy and playfulness, and inspire Valley Line Southeast LRT riders to explore the communities around the Holyrood Stop and search for the objects in the images. 

Adad hopes that, ​“locals might spot pieces of their community that they recognize, like a form of I‑Spy.”

Heading to Holyrood? Take a walk past the stop along 85 Street to get your first look at the Holyrood Lanterns project. As you make your way through the community see if you can spot some of the places and things in the photos. Share your I‑Spy adventure with us on social media using #YEGPublicArt.