Our latest initiative for WATERSHED+ has us collaborating with Bee Kingdom. The intent of this project is to convey the hidden world of water and the hard work that laboratory teams in Calgary’s water treatment facilities are doing. Bee Kingdom will be spending the upcoming months visiting Calgary’s water treatment centres, meeting lab staff and learning the complex process of water treatment. Through first hand observation, Bee Kingdom will create a unique collection of artworks made from hot sculpted glass that give creative expression to the fascinating world of micro-organisms. These bodies include the ‘activated sludge’ or ‘good guys’ that help clean our water to the problematic micro-organisms the City works tirelessly to keep out of the system.

The resulting work will be shown at several City facilities and in public exhibitions later this year.

A big thanks to ACAD and the Illingworth Kerr Gallery for inviting us to be part of the Panel Discussion following Jørn Mortensen’s fabulous talk on the 31st of March. It is timely conversation to be had and we found the discussion thought provoking and enjoyable. 

Check out the feature of WATERSHED+ in the Public Art Review!

An excellent article titled ‘Utility Centric’ by Jon Spayde in the December issue of the Public Art Review describes how a Calgary competition led to establish WATERSHED+ and its array of projects and initiates.

The article can be found in issue 49 of Public Art Review

Since October 2012, Rachel Duckhouse has been working as an artist in residence through The City of Calgary’s Watershed+ program; this has allowed her to work closely with City’s Water Resources’ Water Services’ and Parks’ staff, sharing research, data and knowledge. 

The resulting works freeze the movement of water in time and space; her drawings are studies of the way particles move through landscape, eliciting questions around the architecture of our watershed.

DATE: Thursday, October 24

TIME: 6:00-8:00 p.m.

LOCATION: Kasian Gallery, Room 2145 – Professional Faculties Building A, University of Calgary

To hear more about Rachel’s work click here.

Rachel’s residency is supported by The City of Calgary’s Public Art Program, The City of Calgary’s Utilities and Environmental Protection Department, The City of Calgary’s Parks Department and has been hosted by Ralph Klein Park and Telus Spark.

You can visit the BOW FLOW Exhibition on display in the EVDS Kasian Gallery, October 7-25, 2013. Gallery hours are 8:30-4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

We are very pleased to welcome Kevin Robert Perry from Urban Rain|Design for his first public presentation in Calgary. Kevin will present his approach to green infrastructure visioning and planning developed through his experience at the City of Portland’s Sustainable Stormwater Program.

His innovative techniques to retrofit the urban fabric with sustainable stormwater management uses the landscape to not only manage stormwater, but to also create highly successful urban spaces.

DATE: Friday 25th October
TIME: Coffee and pastries from 7.30, talk from 8 till 8.45 AM
LOCATION: Bow Room the Water Centre – 625 25 Ave SE, Calgary

Please RSVP to charles.blanc@calgary.ca