Calgarians finally got to see a hotly anticipated work of public art over the weekend, as the new mural featuring a local take on the Bianjing Gate was unveiled on Saturday.

The mural, which was painted by Calgary based artists Kevin Chow and Jamie Mason, a.k.a. Rawry and Pohly, is the pair’s second Chinatown mural, and the second to feature scenes from the Qing Ming Festival.

Visitors to the annual Chinatown Street Festival on Aug. 17, were the first to see the finished artwork, but its location on the east side of the Ng Tower next to 2 Avenue SW and Centre Street S makes it one of the most prominent public art works in the city.

An average of 16,000 drivers pass that portion of Centre Street daily—an apt number given the artist duo have sold more than 16,000 paintings internationally.

“It’s been amazing working with the community again. That’s really what it is: having a chance to work with the different committees, the BIA, the sponsors, to bring it to life,” said Chow.

“Seeing the public enjoy the process of the creation, and seeing every day the same people coming out to watch the day-by-day as we paint in the sun, it’s been very rewarding.”

He said that it was a nice thing to have the kind of exposure that comes with having tens of thousands of people see your work every week, but that the duo was looking forward to finding the next project to do in Chinatown.

The new mural, compared to their previous one, is wider but shorter at 30 feet tall and 100 feet wide.

Chinatown BIA Executive Director Judy Eng-Hum said that it was an important artwork for the community.

“I think it’s really important that there is artwork to share. Especially in Chinatown, we can add public art that displays the cultural aspect of the community and is also integrated into the city every day,” she said.

“It’s important for us to also support local artists as well. We’ve done that in our pageantry flags, now we’ve got several murals up, and we’re working on some other ideas and initiatives as well.”

Second mural on a theme

Grace Su, Chair for the Calgary Chinatown BIA, said that the new mural was the start of a new chapter for the community.

“What truly makes this mural special are the local elements our greatest artists, Kevin and Jamie, have woven into the design. You should look for those playful notes that are added to this mural. Those little surprises to bring a sense of fun and discovery, and these touches remind us that while we honour the past, we also a community that is alive with energy and creativity today,” Su said.

Among those Easter eggs include scenes featuring locals from the community, like a man river tubing or a Chinatown Stampede breakfast, said Mason.

“I also included my grandparents on the farm as little characters in the back,” he said.

A number of Calgary’s unofficial bird, the Magpie, have also been included throughout the mural with 29 hidden throughout for visitors to find.

The pair of murals, said Patti Pon, CEO of Calgary Arts Development, were spectacular examples of how public art can spring from the desire of community rather than having art pieces imposed or curated onto a community.

“This was an idea that sprung from the community, started with one wall, and has now made its way across the street to another wall, and has now made its way into others in the community, identifying property where they want to have art appear,” Pon said.

“It’s turning into a public art plan that we’re helping to create for Chinatown. So, I talk a lot about what it means to put the public in public art, and we’re just thrilled to be a part of it and really excited that Calgarians are seeing themselves inside this.”

She said that whether it was art created through micro-granting programs, or larger scale projects like the mural that have multiple sponsors and a high level of community engagement, the goal was to create works that Calgarians could be proud of.

Su said that a larger vision for Chinatown was a district that was full of public art.

That goal is something that Rawry and Pohly were looking forward to being a part of.

“We are always so happy to do artwork in Chinatown. And we have lots of cool ideas that we would love to pursue, such as architectural, street furniture, or pieces that are really useful to the community. Our benches have had such a fantastic reception, because a lot of the seniors have somewhere to sit,” said Mason.

The public art was sponsored by the Calgary Chinatown BIA, Calgary Arts Development, The City of Calgary, Calgary Chinatown Community Association, and the Calgary Chinatown Development Foundation.