Mission’s new Highway 7 Mural is officially complete.
Almost a year ago, the Mission Crime Prevention Office and the Downtown Business Association (DBA) were having a conversation about how to prevent graffiti in the downtown core.
That conversation soon blossomed into a collaborative art project with the city and UFV students.
Mission’s deputy director of parks, recreation, and culture Stephanie Key, and DBA executive director Miriam Bozman headed the endeavour through the city’s public art policy.
“Art is so powerful, both the process of creating it and the subsequent enjoyment of it are experiences that bring people together,” Bozman said. “I’d love to see more public art pieces that show the diversity and spirit of our amazing community.”
Young emerging artists were sought from UFV’s School of Creative Arts. They were given loose guidelines: a contemporary abstract style that reflects the community of Mission.
The general public were invited to participate in the review and selection of eight designs created by the students. Ultimately, Jungyi Zhang’s “The Four Seasons” was selected, with a single tweak to make the mountainous background reflect local scenery.
The mural is meant to be enjoyed by drivers as they pass by the colourful landscape, meant to symbolize the transitions from one season to the next.
On the left, the blues and greens feature the fishing and forestry industries; the centre has the Fraser River in front of Mount Judge Howay; the right features magenta and pink are representative of B.C. salmon, the Caitlin rhododendron (Mission’s official flower) and cherry blossoms (representing Mission’s sister city Oyama).
Key and Bozman thanked the public for their support and patience, and UFV professor Chris Friesen and students.
“The students did an amazing job staying on the timeline set for them and they actually put in an extra half day today to finish off the last details,” Bozman said.