The hidden art on campus
Stop and smell the spray paint
TED BARKER STAFF
There are a handful of fairly nice galleries on campus. There’s the GOSA gallery in U.C., Gallery One One One in the Fitzgerald building, the Icelandic gallery in Dafoe, and a few smaller ones here and there around the university. They’re nice. They’re a good way to see some art without having to leave your happy little niche of school. So visit them.
OK, so you visited them. Now what? Well, the galleries represent only a fraction of the art on display on campus. The rest is on your way to class, in the parking lots and hidden among the flora of our campus community. I’m referring to the graffiti, stickers, drawings, stencils and sculptures created by students who prefer a more subtle and anonymous way of presenting their work.
I’m sure some may argue that a lot of this is vandalism. Actually, most of it probably is. But it’s nice vandalism. It’s vandalism that shouldn’t get washed or scraped off. I’d much rather walk through the tunnels and look at drawings stuck to pipes than have nothing to look at but the water-stains. Consider these little works of art gifts from the artists to you, the audience.
I took the time last Thursday to work my way slowly around campus looking lost and crazy, seeking out art. I was surprised at how much I found, but also disappointed at how much I found washed off or peeled away. Still, my journey was fruitful and interesting.
I started my adventure within the men’s bathroom of the Fine Arts building. Don’t ask why, it just felt right. Immediately I spot my first specimen: a fine-line drawing of a flying creature taped high up on the wall. It was above the urinal, and unless you’re not looking where you should be, it can be easy to miss. Outside, I discover a green stencil of a gremlin-type creature painted low on the cement wall by the parking lot. I assume it is an art gremlin because of the paintbrush and bottle of booze it carries.
I then work my way into University Centre. I hurry through the crowds because I figure people would make fun of me taking pictures of walls. Although there were some guys yelling things that might be considered performance art, I mostly skipped University Centre. I walked through the building, stopping once to admire a locker decorated with hand-drawn stickers. Then onwards I trekked. I circled outwards from the centre of campus trying to cover as much ground as I could.
When you’re looking for art it seems to pop out of nowhere. As I walked, a plaster head peered out at me from within a bush. Wandering through buildings and tunnels, every now and then I would spot a sticker or a tag drawn in a clever place. It was like a treasure hunt. I wish I could describe every piece I saw in detail but it would take a much larger word count than this article permits. Stickers by Winnipeg artist “Slomotion,” a tree full of paper birds, “I Love You” painted on a door, numerous tags, and a crazy, giant hanging fruit in the woods by the river all surprised me along my quest.
So, next time you’re walking to your lectures, keep your eyes open. Don’t disregard scribbles and drawings on the wall. An artist took the time to create the visual for you, take the time to stop and admire it. You would be surprised by what you can find. And if you can’t find anything, create something.
