VMF Winter Arts lights up Vancouver landmarks for Blanketing The City (PHOTOS)
The second annual VMF Winter Arts is in full swing, and one of the many highlights of this year’s festival is the illumination of iconic Vancouver landmarks in beautiful Coast Salish weaving patterns.
Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way is an evolution of the public art mural series and Reconciliation process designed by renowned xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) weaver and graphic designer, Debra Sparrow in collaboration with Vancouver Mural Festival, producers of VMF Winter Arts.
Large-scale lighting displays featuring transformed Coast Salish weaving patterns, colours and stories will be displayed at Canada Place, Science World, Bill Curtis Square in Yaletown, and BC Place until February 27.
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“Blanketing The City is a vision that I’ve had for the last 30 some odd years,” explained Sparrow in an interview with Daily Hive. “I’ve always had the intention of bringing the beauty and integrity of our Coast Salish weavers and threading it through what is now the City of Vancouver. We are lending them part of our identity so that there is beauty within the city, not just tall buildings that represent the industrial world that we live in.”
Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way (higherpotency/Submitted)
The partnership between Sparrow and Vancouver Mural Festival began in 2017, with Blanketing the City IV: Cathedral Square being unveiled on National Indigenous Peoples Day in June 2021.
“When we look at any country in the world, we look to their history and their art. So I very intentionally wanted our history to take its place in the city,” said Sparrow. “We’re blanket makers and use them in every aspect of our culture. They assist us now in comforting ourselves as who we are as Indigenous people.”
Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way (Mavreen David/Submitted)
Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way can be seen throughout the evening at all four locations. Visitors can check out the massive lighting displays at BC Place and Canada Place from 5 to 11 pm, 15 minutes on the hour. They can then stop by Science World to see the giant Coast Salish artworks from 5 to 8 pm, 15 minutes on the hour, or anytime at Bill Curtis Square.
Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way (Mavreen David/Submitted)
For Sparrow, the installations have a number of important meanings.
“Blanketing The City is really lighting a path. The beautiful colours reflect the sun, the Earth, and the light that shines through all. Lighting The Way is like a torch, with sparks going up into the air. They trickle back down and ignite anywhere they land. If the light can shine just a little bit on something positive, then it’s a good thing.
We also wanted to really hold our hands up to what’s happened over the last years with reconciliation and finding the first 215 little children. Shine a light where they are and where they reflect the universe. So Blanketing The City has many different meanings and I think it’s just the beginning of how we’re all going to find ways of lighting our path.”
Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way (Gabriel Hall/Submitted)
Sparrow said that she is excited for everyone to see the lighting installations as well as the other artworks at this year’s VMF Winter Arts.
“I hope that when people are viewing Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way, I hope that they experience the awe that we as everyday, busy people sort of forget about in our life. Take a moment to stop and look at this beautiful vision and patterns. Feel a little bit of light shining within yourself.”
Blanketing The City: Lighting The Way
When: Daily until February 27, 2022
Time: Various times
Where: Canada Place, BC Place, Science World, and Yaletown (Bill Curtis Square)
Cost: Free