Artist-designed utility boxes bring colour to U of L campus

By Lethbridge Herald on October 2, 2024.

Herald photo by Al Beeber "Striped Skunk" by artist Leila Armstrong can be found in the North of Lot F, one of several vinyl wrap pieces that can be seen on utility boxes around the University of Lethbridge campus.

At the unveiling and celebration of Faculty of Fine Arts alumna Laurel Scott’s artwork in Anderson Hall earlier this year -a large, welcoming 12-metre vinyl-wrapped mural of the southern Alberta landscape – Mark Slomp, Executive Director of Student Services, issued a challenge to the ULethbridge community: bring more art to campus.

Discussions were already underway about creating more vibrant public art on campus. Jed Mosher from Utilities and Facility Services suggested that artists connected to the University of Lethbridge could be selected to showcase their work by designing vinyl wraps for utility boxes.

Staff and faculty members from Facility Services, Utilities, the Art Department and the Faculty of Fine Arts worked together create an opportunity for students, alumni and community members to create artwork for campus, putting a call for artists to submit ideas for vinyl-wrapped utility boxes.

Department of Art Instructor and coordinator of the Lethbridge Public Art Program, Katie Bruce says vinyl is one of the easiest ways for artists to get involved in public art.

“Because of its visual adaptability, vinyl wrapping is a great option for emerging artists who want to put their art in the public domain,” Bruce says.

“Whether the work is a painting, drawing, print, digital image, textile or photograph, or some combination-vinyl captures all textures and details.”

Following a competitive selection process, seven artists were chosen:

• Leila Armstrong, ULethbridge PhD candidate

• Jennessa Bates, BFA – Art ’24

• Courtney Faulkner, BFA – Art ’22

• Sidney Frenette-Ling, BFA – Art student

• Lily Hilgersom, community artist

• Cody Pai, MFA – New Media student

• Wayne Provost, BMgt ’21

• Natalia Smith, BFA – Art student

University of Lethbridge Chancellor Terry Whitehead was on the selection committee and said the quality of submissions reflects the talent of the local arts community.

“I am honoured to have served on the selection committee for this wonderful campus beautification project. The committee was overwhelmed with the number and quality of the proposals. We had extremely difficult decisions to make; but at the end of the process, the artists were selected for the beauty their work will bring to our campus,” says Whitehead.

“We are excited by the diversity of artists-graduate and undergraduate students, alumni and community members-and the diversity of creative expressions for this challenging medium. Congratulations to those artists selected and thank you to everyone who submitted proposals. Thank you, too, to Mark Slomp and Jed Mosher for bringing this inspired idea to life.”

Through the summer, artists worked with a graphic designer to lay out their artworks, which were installed by a fabricator. The works can now be seen at:

• North of Lot F: Leila Armstrong, “Striped Skunk” (installed).

• East of Lot F: Lily Hilgersom, “Pieces of Lethbridge” (installed)

• Between Anderson and Markin Hall: Courtney Faulkner, “Sisters” (installed).

• East of Students Union Building: Wayne Provost, “Maaniksistsiko (New Day)” (installed).

• South of Centre for Sport and Wellness: Sidney Frenette-Ling and Cody Pai, “Metamorphosis” (forthcoming).

West side of Aperture Drive near Aperture Park: Natalia Smith, “Unity” (installed).

• Between Tsuu T’ina House and Mount Blackiston House: Jennessa Bates, “We Started Floating” (forthcoming).