A new display outside the Principal’s Office is turning heads, showcasing student-led murals in a way that highlights both artistic talent and the power of teamwork.
Thanks to a collaborative effort between the Faculty of Critical and Creative Studies (FCCS), UBC Okanagan Facilities, and the Principal’s Office, three stunning prints of student-created murals from around Kelowna now greet all who visit the Admin Building and the Principal’s Office.
This project is an example of what can happen, even on a limited budget, when different teams come together with a shared goal: celebrating student works.
The project was made possible when FCCS found an innovative way to create high-quality prints of student murals using new, cost-effective technology, printed in visual arts professor Tania Willard’s Site/ation Studio. Facilities then stepped in to ensure the artwork was properly installed, creating a professional and inspiring display that sets the tone for the entire building.
“We’re always looking for ways to put our students at the forefront and these murals showcase their incredible talent and impact throughout our community. Having them displayed here makes sure that every visitor sees firsthand the exceptional work UBC Okanagan students are doing.”
Dr. Lesley Cormack, UBCO Principal
The original murals were created by visual arts students enrolled in a course led by instructors David and Jorden Doody and are on display throughout Kelowna.
The murals give students the experience of working with a diverse range of equipment, including projectors and mechanical lifts, while also learning a variety of paint applications and techniques common to mural painting and brighten the community.
The murals are just one example of the impact and excitement public art brings to the community and the many ways in which students and faculty in FCCS are engaging the community.
Dr. Bryce Traister, Dean of FCCS, emphasizes the importance of bringing student artwork into more visible spaces, whether on campus or in the community.
A collaborative mural project makes visible what goes on when an individual brush strokes a canvas, or a chisel chips a piece of stone, or a silk screen design delivers color onto paper. In those moments, traditions of practice, histories of genre and form, what has come before, what has been left out of all of those creations come together in a single gesture, imprinting our present with those collected imaginative acts that made it all possible, explains Dr. Traister.
“It is gratifying and uplifting to see student work displayed around campus, and also around the City of Kelowna. It is gratifying because we see the result of their hard work and talent taken from the studio to the streets, to our communities, and inviting them into the conversations that only artistry can create.
We often think of the creation of art as a kind of ‘lone wolf’ activity. But it never is, never has been. I am delighted to see the value of art to the broader mission and experience of the campus being recognized and invited by collaborating groups around the campus to contribute to our collective mission.”
Dr. Bryce Traister, Dean, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
As students, faculty, staff, and visitors pass through the Principal’s Office, these murals now serve as a daily reminder of UBCO students’ talents, expression and innovation.
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