MOOSE JAW — Moose Jaw’s Public Art Committee has announced several recent updates pertaining to public art installations across the city this summer.
Chinese mural
Jennifer McRorie, director and curator of the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery (MJMAG), said the owners of Jade Garden Restaurant have requested that the relocated Chinese mural be installed on the north wall of their building.
The project should also seek to correct several Chinese words on the mural, the restaurant’s owners said.
Before anything is finalized, the owners of Jade Garden have also requested that a contract be in place before the project starts.
The Chinese mural was formerly located on the west side of 240 High Street West — now Gina’s Jewelry — before it was removed in 2019.
The Public Art Committee has since moved to pursue the relocation of the mural at Jade Garden.
RCAF centennial project
To celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) this summer, the City of Moose Jaw is planning to host an anniversary banner along Main Street North between Sept. 7 and 14. Several community organizations also plan to hold RCAF celebrations during that week.
Members of the public art committee said they’d prefer to fund “a more permanent public art installation” to commemorate the event. It was not specified whether this request includes or excludes the earlier proposed Main Street banner.
An earlier suggestion to commission a tree carving in Crescent Park was dropped after learning that there are limited tree stumps available. This year’s tree art will also be completed with paint rather than wood carvings, according to McRorie.
As well, Tourism Moose Jaw expressed an interest in co-sponsoring a public art installation and suggested it could be added near the tutor jet at the Visitor’s Centre.
The committee has dedicated a budget of $3,000 for the RCAF-themed project with further details pending.
Indigenous mural
McRorie told the public art committee earlier that the Crescent Park Foundation has expressed an interest in creating a mural on the outside wall of the original museum building.
The stated aim of the new mural project is to “help beautify the area” within Crescent Park, she said.
One suggestion McRorie brought forward was to have the MJMAG’s new Indigenous artist and creator, Brianna LaPlante, facilitate the project. LaPlante is currently working with the MJMAG for a 10-month program after being hired on through an SK Arts grant titled Artists in Communities this summer.
At the meeting, Jacki L’Heureux-Mason, the Tourism Moose Jaw executive director, also expressed an interest in working with an Indigenous artist with no further details specified.
The public art committee has yet to issue an update on the proposed MJMAG mural.
Tree stump carving
Moose Jaw resident Twila Leflar presented the public art committee with a public artwork proposal that was first reported in the June 12 committee minutes.
In her proposal, Leflar expressed an interest in commissioning a chainsaw artist to carve a tree stump on her front boulevard at 603 Ninth Avenue Southwest and kitty corner from the Circle K convenience store on South Hill.
The tree carving, she said, is intended to honour her mother who lived at the property for several years. The artwork will also honour the South Hill community and seeks to recognize the history of the Wild Animal Park in what is now Tatawaw Park.
Leflar said she’s already contacted several chainsaw carving artists and many of them have expressed an interest in the project. The project is estimated to cost around $6,000, so Leflar plans to bring her proposal to a few community associations to help cover the cost.
The Public Art Committee has expressed its interest and further details are pending.
