Projection mapping on 823 5th Ave NW by artists Cimmeron Meyer and Janet Mader. Photo by Cimmeron Meyer
BLOG POST BY CAITLIND r.c. BROWN
People will tell you that you really had to be there – and, as with most experiential activities, they’ll be right. But just in case you couldn’t be, here’s a taster from the first few days at WRECK CITY (including some photos of finished artworks by various artists).
On the Opening Night of WRECK CITY, we saw just shy of 2,000 Calgarians wandering through our home-made neighbourhood. Demographics ranged from pre-speech children barbling in their Mama’s strollers, to ripened grown-ups, wandering cautiously through the houses with varying degrees of curiosity. All our friends were there, viewing work alongside hundreds of strangers, meeting each other and sharing thoughts, opinions, and experiences. Isn’t that what Art does best?
WRECK CITY sign by Caitlind r.c. Brown & Wayne Garrett, viewable from the Calgary C-train
“It feels like Halloween!” commented one of my pals, glancing back over the hordes of people, wandering from door to door, bracing themselves for a trick or a treat.
As evening overtook WRECK CITY, the mood balanced precariously somewhere between festive and frantic – festive for the viewers, frantic for the Curators, as we attempted to ride this wild beast, enforce the “rules”, and enjoy ourselves at the same time. Amidst the tornado of onlookers, nobody saw the entirety of WRECK CITY’s Opening Night – an unconscious strategy to coerce audiences into returning anew later in the week to see the remainder of the project. Many have been back already – by the end of Tuesday, we’d counted over 4,000 viewers at WRECK CITY!
Despite a few hiccups, WRECK CITY has been nothing short of stellar. Of course, the real effects of the project are yet to be seen (in a year, if anyone remembers that it happened, we’ll know that is was a triumph…) In the meantime, for the Artists and Curators behind the project, we already know that WRECK CITY will go down in our personal histories as a gentle revolution, an ambitious turning point, and a DIY spectacular!
There are many things left to do, and much work left to document, but in the meantime, for those of you who can’t experience the Sunnyside strip in person before Saturday, here are some images of more or less finished WRECK CITY projects below. Images begin with 621 5th Avenue NW, and end with 823.
(Please note that, as the Curator of 823, I automatically have more images of the pieces inside that house than other houses – a bias! Also, this isn’t all the finished work in the project by any means, but it’s a good start. More to come!)
621 5th Ave NW (curated by Shawn Mankowske) Text Work by Jack Bride
621 5th Ave NW (curated by Shawn Mankowske) Burger by Jane Trash
621 5th Ave NW (curated by Shawn Mankowske). Art by Natalie Maclean
621 5th Ave NW (curated by Shawn Mankowske). Art by Terrance Houle
621 5th Ave NW (curated by Shawn Mankowske). Art by Tia Halliday
801 5th Ave NW (curated by Brandon Dalmer). Art by Rebecca Noone.
801 5th Ave NW (curated by Brandon Dalmer). Externals of a Camera Obscura by Lea Bucknell.
801 5th Ave NW (curated by Brandon Dalmer). Door by Sarah VS
801 5th Ave NW (curated by Brandon Dalmer). Bathroom by Sarah VS
Between 801 and 803 5th Ave NW (curated by Jennifer Crighton). Favela by Teela Jensen, Kataryna Gajewska, & Catalina Pop.
803 5th Ave NW (Curated by Jennifer Crighton). Icing by Sarah Adams.
803 5th Ave NW (Curated by Jennifer Crighton). Party Hats by Sarah VS
803 5th Ave NW (Curated by Jennifer Crighton). Window weaving by Suzen Green
803 5th Ave NW (Curated by Jennifer Crighton). Window weaving by Suzen Green
803 5th Ave NW (Curated by Jennifer Crighton). Collage by Yvonne Kustec.
Garage behind 805 5th Ave NW (Curated by Andrew Frosst). Sundial by Sarah Storteboom.
807 5th Ave NW (Curated by John Frosst). Installation by Camille Betts.
807 5th Ave NW (Curated by John Frosst). Installation by Full Spectrum Collective.
807 5th Ave NW (Curated by John Frosst). TV installation by Jessica McCarrel
807 5th Ave NW (Curated by John Frosst). Infinity installation by Leslie Bell + The Pine Tarts
807 5th Ave NW (Curated by John Frosst). Installation by The Bum Family.
819 5th Ave NW (Curated by Andrew Frosst). WRECK CITY Rec Centre (Dana Schloss, Laura Leif, and Kristi Woo)
819 5th Ave NW (Curated by Andrew Frosst). WRECK CITY Rec Centre (Dana Schloss, Laura Leif, and Kristi Woo)
819 5th Ave NW (Curated by Andrew Frosst). WRECK CITY Rec Centre (Dana Schloss, Laura Leif, and Kristi Woo)
819 5th Ave NW (Curated by Andrew Frosst). WRECK CITY Rec Centre. Dana Schloss watching Hindi Duck Tails!
819 5th Ave NW (Curated by Andrew Frosst). Installation by Dana Buzzee.
819 5th Ave NW (Curated by Andrew Frosst). Installation by Hye-Seung Jung
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Bridge by Alia Shahab.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Bridge by Alia Shahab.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Phone by Daniel Kirk.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Installation by Lauren Simms.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Suzen Green sitting on a swing by Mynthia McDaniel and Jane Durham.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Some kids swinging on an indoor swing set by Mynthia McDaniel and Jane Durham.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Cloud by Mynthia McDaniel and Jane Durham.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Bathroom re-organization by Svea Ferguson.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Bathroom cementation by Svea Ferguson.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Bathroom re-organization by Svea Ferguson.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Hallway in 823 (Bathroom by Svea Ferguson, Clouds and paintings by Mynthia McDaniel and Jane Durham)
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Slide by Wayne Garrett and Caitlind r.c. Brown.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Slide by Wayne Garrett and Caitlind r.c. Brown.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Slide by Wayne Garrett and Caitlind r.c. Brown.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Passageway by Matthew Kennedy, Mark Erickson, and Ivan Ostapenko. Photo credit: Matthew Kennedy.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Passageway and balcony by Matthew Kennedy, Mark Erickson, and Ivan Ostapenko. Photo credit: Matthew Kennedy.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Passageway and balcony by Matthew Kennedy, Mark Erickson, and Ivan Ostapenko. Photo credit: Matthew Kennedy.
823 5th Ave NW (Curated by Caitlind r.c. Brown). Passageway and balcony by Matthew Kennedy, Mark Erickson, and Ivan Ostapenko. Photo credit: Matthew Kennedy.
Greenhouse forest by Lane Shordee.
Greenhouse forest by Lane Shordee.
Greenhouse forest by Lane Shordee.
Lane Shordee and Wayne Garrett sitting on the balcony of the Greenhouse installation by Lane Shordee.
Lane Shordee and Wayne Garrett sitting on the balcony of the Greenhouse installation by Lane Shordee.
WRECK CITY | an epilogue for 809 
yeah!
i oughtta get there before Satday!
Thanks for this…in the throngs of people, I wasn’t able to track the artist names…have posted blogs about some of this. I’ll go back now and fill in the blanks. Thanks for the credits. Wreck City was/is an amazing experience!
Reblogged this on The Chapel and commented:
Credits are included with this stellar documentation…I wanted to share those with my readers. If you haven’t attended…there are only two more days. :0(
Thanks Painter Lady!
Several trips are recommended to see the amazing installations.
sweet! god this brings back memories of childhood and making forts and tree houses from old farm buildings! amazing work everyone!
Who was the artist with the conceptual piece…the giving tree? I chatted with him yesterday, but missed his name.
Great pg – helped me to give my pics artist cred… who did the monsters room? I have an open FB album for all artists who want copies of their work 🙂 Amazing job everyone!
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