VMF2020: West End
This year, Vancouver Pride Society created an entirely new way to experience Pride in the West End and we are so stoked to have been a part of it! Large scale art pieces by local Two-Spirit, Trans and Queer artists were premiered around Pride Week, offering a chance for folks to enjoy art in outdoor spaces. In our collaboration with Vancouver Pride Society there were three murals painted to create a Pride Mural Collection along the Pride Art Walk route. These murals were sponsored by the West End BIA and the Government of Canada.
Later in the month, another mural was painted in the West End at 990 Nicola Street. This piece is a massive building wrap mural that spans over several local businesses including Greenhorn Cafe, a beloved neighbourhood coffee shop. Make sure to grab a pastry or coffee while you’re there!
“Proud Together”
Location: Celebrities (west/back wall); 1022 Davie
Mural Statement:
My mural is part of the Davie Village Pride festival, and so my painting is a celebration of the multitudes of identities that are a part of the LGBTQ2S+ community. The piece depicts a non-binary and trans-feminine couple, whose ethnicities are as complex as my own.
“Precious Fruit”
Location: The Junction, 1138 Davie (south, back wall)
Mural Statement:
Black joy is so important to see because not only is it revolutionary, it is extraordinary, and beautiful. I wanted to paint a Black woman exuding joy, in all her glory, in front of a deconstructed sun, surrounded by oranges on branches. Oranges have many meanings, but the ones that resonate with me are Joy, Happiness and Prosperity. Through my lens, I hope to showcase a form of Black joy that is beautiful to me, and how even in a world that doesn't support us, we still bloom and grow, like precious fruit.
“Two-Spirit Rising”
Location: Blenz, 1203 Davie (east)
Mural Statement:
This art piece depicts two Coast Salish thunderbirds surrounding a human figure in the middle. Thunderbirds are symbols of power, protection and strength. The supernatural powers of thunderbird spirits come to help the people and they provide spiritual protection. When they flap their wings, thunder and lightning strikes. It is said that they can take human form, and when they do they lift their heads up as shown in the design.
The human in this art piece represents Two-Spirit people because they bring special gifts to the world and offer spiritual medicine to the people of this earth walk.
Because Two-Spirit people are non-binary, they bring a balance to the world that would not otherwise be present.The combination of thunderbird and Two-Spirit people represents transformation. Their healing powers are very much needed on this earth.
“West End Best End”
990 Nicola Street
Artist Statement:
Designed by Annie Chen and Carson Ting, this mural is inspired by the history and nature found in Vancouver's West End. The piece features Joe Fortes, a prominent Vancouver resident (our city's first official lifeguard) and animals found in the local ecosystem. The West End is a wonderfully rich and friendly community home to residents of all cultures, backgrounds, and professions–we hope to represent and bright up our neighbourhood through colour and fun imagery in this mural.
See the other 8 neighbourhoods’ new murals from VMF2020: Gastown, Marpole, River District, South Granville, Strathcona, Downtown, Mount Pleasant, and Robson.
Download our free Mobile App for self guided tours and more information on the 250+ murals across the city! Look for the "2020 West End" Collection to find these new murals!
Photos by Gabriel Martins
