the broken typewriter

As you enter the Pomeroy, a new mural rises two stories in the stairwell leading to the Speed Skating Oval and Walking Track.

This mural is part of a project undertaken by the Fort St. John Arts Council, in partnership with the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, is based on a study by the Office which looked into the rise in hate incidents during the pandemic. Fort St. John was one of four communities selected to commission a mural to continue the conversation on issues around hate.

It is the first public art project since the City of Fort St. John released its Community Arts and Culture Framework in August. One of the goals of the city’s framework is to animate public spaces and enhance a sense of place through art and creative projects.

The mural’s theme is Hate to Hope, and the artists, Facundo Gastiazoro and Stephanie Anderson the Raven-Tacuara Artist Collective, spent the week at the Pomeroy bringing their design to life.

Raven-Tacuara is a group of Indigenous artists based in northwestern BC. They have painted murals throughout the province, from Chilliwack to Smithers and many communities in between.

The bottom portion of the mural, illustrating Hate, is full of white angular lines. The original design called for black lines, but Gastiazoro said they felt that it looked too much like burned trees. Given that the Pomeroy is used for the city’s Emergency Support Services, they opted to go with white lines.

Up the stairs is the Hope portion of the mural, represented by flowing lines, leaves and dandelion seeds.

“There’s nothing more hopeful than seeds,” Gastiazoro said.

The Pomeroy and the stairwell remained open during the painting, and Anderson said they’ve received a lot of posititive feedback about the mural.

The Arts Council will hold an official launch and unveilling of the mural in November.