The City of Burlington’s public art program, in collaboration with local Indigenous Peoples, is holding an Indigenous Art Walk and Spring Equinox Celebration. The event will be held on Monday, the first day of Spring beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Gazebo in Spencer Smith Park.
Residents will see the Orange Crosswalk at Lakeshore Road and Nelson Avenue and nine Indigenous artists’ creations throughout Spencer Smith Park. The final piece, Conversations and Stories by David General, will be unveiled at Joseph Brant Museum.
The event will begin with an Opening Prayer with WhiteEagle, followed by the Art Walk of the nine Indigenous pieces, crosswalk and ceremonial fire. Participants will arrive at Joseph Brant Museum for noon. There they will hear conversations and stories and a celebration of sculpture
About Walking along the Lake
The City of Burlington received a non-repayable contribution of $100,000 from the Hamilton Halton Brant Regional Tourism Association (HHBRTA) to create an Indigenous Art Walk in Spencer Smith Park, designed to celebrate and honour the work of First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists. This funding was part of the Government of Canada’s Tourism Relief Fund, delivered by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). HHBRTA received $5 million from FedDev Ontario to help local tourism organizations and businesses safely welcome back visitors, recover from the impacts of the pandemic, and prepare for future growth. A granite sculpture, Conversations and Stories, by David General, also received support through a donation from Dan Lawrie.
Last summer, First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists were invited to propose artwork that has now been installed as vinyl wraps on a series of nine large electrical boxes located in Spencer Smith Park on Lake Ontario in Burlington. Nine commissions of $2,000 each were available.
The Art Walk begins with an Indigenous themed crosswalk: this Orange Crosswalk was installed to serve as a permanent reminder of Burlington’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation. This prominent location at the intersection of Lakeshore Road and Nelson Avenue is an entrance to Spencer Smith Park, with direct connections to the Art Gallery of Burlington and Spencer’s at the Waterfront.
From here, visitors may travel east or west along the waterfront promenade. The electrical boxes are located along the main path and in the park. Heading west, the art walk will end at Joseph Brant Museum, where artist David General has created a large-scale sculpture, Conversations and Stories with David General of the Six Nations of the Grand River..
The artists include: Bronson Jacque – Halifax, N.S.; Candace Lipischak – Otterburne, Man.; Cody James Houle – Brantford; Douglas Fox – London, Jerri Ellis-MacDonald – Hamilton; Mark Nadjiwan – Lions Head, ON.; Marvin Terry – Oakville; Moses Lunham – Forest;
For profiles on the artists, www.burlingtonpublicart.com/indigenous
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