There's a 40 foot wings mural in Kitsilano that you need on your Instagram
What was once a blank canvas on the side of building 1817 on West 4th Avenue, is now one of the city’s most beautiful murals.
Executive Director of the West 4th Avenue Business Association (BIA), Jane McFadden, recognized a need for more artwork in the Kitsilano neighbourhood, so she approached artists Sandy and Steve Pell with an idea – to create a giant set of wings which would be an interactive public artwork.
The result? A massive 40 foot by 25 foot mural called #kitswings.
This mural has been created to make people feel feel majestic and beautiful, just like bald eagles. And its layout has been designed in such a way to work no matter what size you are. Tiny chihuahua dogs even fit within the wings, which you can see on Instagram.
Not only does the artwork invite locals and visitors to stop in their busy days and engage with the city around them, it also gives thousands of travelers passing by the intersection of Burrard and West 4th in a car or aboard public transit, something stunning to admire.
“The entrance to our neighbourhood is now much more inviting and we love it, we look forward to many more visitors because of #kitswings,” Donna Hohl, President of the West 4th BIA, said in a press release.
Artists Sandy and Steve Pell worked for more than 200 hours carefully crafting the fine detail in the mural. “Our design’s aesthetic is inspired by a Bald Eagle’s wings silhouetted against a powerful setting sun over Kitsilano. Ultimately, we hope to help put a smile on everyone’s face,” said Sandy and Steve Pell.
The goal of the mural program within the City is to minimize graffiti tags but #kitswings offers so much more than that. A city of Vancouver staff member who works within the anti-graffiti department reportedly said: “We believe you [West 4th BIA] have created a new City landmark.”
And it doesn’t stop there. The West 4th BIA has already started planning the next interactive mural for the area, with the rule of thumb being to keep them interactive. “Kitsilano is the perfect spot for some Instagram shots while strolling to your favourite shop, restaurant or the beach,” McFadden added.
Interesting, #kitswings has been deisgned to fit within a basic mobile phone resolution shot from the sidewalk. This allows you to easily share photos on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, and it prevents any dangerous disruption to the flow of traffic if people were to stand in the bikeline or on the street to take photos.
To see photos of Vancouverites with the mural, check out #kitswings on Instagram. Don’t forget to share your snaps using this hashtag.
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