VMF Neighbourhood: Cambie Village
Image of Caitlin McDonagh painting her mural.
Photo by Mavreen Davis
Cambie Village is affectionately referred to as “the heart of Vancouver.” While it is one of the smaller neighbourhoods in Vancouver, it is no less important. Cambie is a key transit connector to the 99 B-Line and the Canada Line SkyTrain, and home to one of Vancouver’s busiest intersections at Cambie and Broadway. Cambie similarly houses the spectacular Vancouver City Hall building, the seat of Vancouver’s City Council.
Running from West 6th Avenue to King Edward Avenue, the area is comprised of a variety of key retail giants and businesses, alongside great restaurants and cafes like Vij’s and Rain and Shine Icecream. Should you follow cambie towards the water, you’ll be met by Olympic Village and its beautiful views of False Creek.
This year, we have a wonderful selection of artist’s working throughout Cambie village, including Andrew McGuire, Arty Guava, Caitlin McDonagh, and Chris Perez. Perez’s mural, titled Ethereal Paradise, is an exploration of personal and cultural identity, expressive of his Filipino roots. Perez describes the mural as “an accumulation of various florals that when combined together, create a sense of ethereal beauty… This mural speaks to Asian cultures through floral motifs commonly found on rice cookers. Abstract florals create a dialogue between viewer and mural. It explores memory, heritage, nostalgia, and family through the lens of a first generation Asian-Canadian. The unconscious movement of painting produces a learning experience for viewer and artist alike, as expressions in spray paint mechanics take the lead.”
Caitlin’s mural, titled “The Garden” poses questions of self-care and self-love, a great daily reminder for many of us living the bustling city life. In her artist statement, she mentions how this piece “is about self-preservation; letting go of things (pruning) and nourishing (watering) ourselves so that we too can flourish, create and grow.”
MEET THE CAMBIE VILLAGE MURAL ARTISTS:
