Public Art: Having our Say

"What does public art mean to you?" he asked, movie camera and foam-covered mike staring me in the face.

"Nothing too profound really. It means beauty, surprises, something that makes my stroll along a city street that much more enjoyable."

Ok so that might not be word for word what I said, but I do remember babbling the words "beauty" and "surprises". And in hindsight, did I sound like a total ditz? No matter. I digress.

In the process of reconstructing Wellington Street West, the city of Ottawa is commissioning a series of public art for installation in the Wellington Village and Hintonburg communities. Last night, as residents of one of those communities, we had a chance to have our say in the matter and help choose whose artwork would grace our streets. D. and I got to meet and chat with each of the five finalists and comment on their work. Not only did we get a preview of what could become a permanent part of our streetscape, we got to hear directly from the artists about their vision, inspiration and choices behind their designs. What a delightful experience!

And where do the camera and the babbling come in, you ask? As an interesting bonus, D. and I were interviewed by a local guy making a short documentary on the Hintonburg community (D. roped me into it). The guy, who makes films for a living, has been filming and interviewing residents at local events to eventually present a short film to City Hall's urban planning folks. In the meantime he'll be posting snippets on YouTube. I'll let you know if we make it up there - but only if my hair looks good. ;)