After three years, the now much beloved Touch Traces fingerprint murals from Calgary artist Cassie Suche are due to be replaced with a new storytelling concept by Alex Kwong.

That change comes as part of CMLC’s long-running Art in the Public Realm program, which has changed out the murals on locations along the RiverWalk every two to three years.

Anna Lake, Director of Marketing for CMLC, said one of the exciting parts of the program is that the artists come to the creation of their large-scale works knowing that they will be temporary.

“I think having the space and place for this artwork is unique, and allows them to explore the opportunity to tell different stories. The sheer scale of it, the size of it, how it’s spread out, it can carry a narrative that tells a different story,” Lake said.

“What also is really interesting about temporary surface, for me, is that it allows artists to take creative risks that I think they maybe wouldn’t otherwise know going into it, knowing that it’s only going to be there for three years.”

Kwong’s upcoming works will be portraiture that reflects his storytelling practice and the community engagement he’s undertaken in the East Village.

A large focus will be the individual connections to the Bow River under the lenses of historic, cultural, and sporting motifs.

“The rivers hold such meaning and significance to so many Calgarians, and I want to explore what that looks like from a diversity of perspectives,” he said.

“Each person I’ve spoken to has a unique story to tell, yet a common thread runs through them all. The river and its surroundings sustain us—emotionally, culturally, physically, and spiritually. That powerful connection is what I aim to reflect in the artwork along RiverWalk.”

The temporary space was something that Suche reflected upon after three years of her work being on display.

“The fact that the art is temporary invites a different kind of relationship, encouraging people to embrace change and let go. That kind of impermanence feels important,” Suche said.

“Temporary work is an invaluable opportunity to test ideas, take creative risks, and learn from the work in a public context. I love the idea of art in the city turning over more often, and I’m excited to see how others approach the project in the years ahead.”

RiverWalk gets new story with portraiture

Lake said that Kwong was selected as the latest artist in the program via a panel of six volunteer judges from the community.

“There’s a mixture of people who are experts in the art field, but also people who are not. So, bringing together a jury in this way helps us make sure that the art reflects the community, not just the place, but the people. It also brings more voices to the table,” Lake said.

“I think it builds trust in the process, and ensures the work we choose really, really resonates.”

Art that resonates with the public is an important part of the mission of the Art in the Public Realm program, which now covers three bridge abutments and a shed along the RiverWalk representing more than 4,000 sq. ft. of space spread out between—and is seen by hundreds of thousands visitors both local to the East Village and from across Calgary.

“It’s different from a lot of the public art murals that we do have in Calgary,” said Lake.

“The sheer scale of it, the size of it, how it’s spread out, it can carry a narrative that tells a different story. In this particular case, when we’re changing over to Alex, this is an artist who’s exploring portraiture. We’ve done it before in the early days on RiverWalk surfaces, but we haven’t had portraits up there in a long time.”

As part of the wind down for Suche’s Touch Traces, she will be doing a Jane’s Walk on Friday, May 2, from 12 to 1 p.m. to talk about her murals and her reflections on having them displayed for the past three years.

The following week will see Kwong begin to paint his murals, which are expected to take about six weeks and be completed ahead of Canada Day.

Calgarians wanting to get a sense of what the new work will look like can meet Kwong during a May 16 kickoff at Bounce Games Park in the East Village, presented by Creator’s Path, the East Village, and BUMP and featuring Juno-nominated, MTV award-winning hip hop artist and activist Drezus.