RECOVER REIMAGINE REPEAT
This is a post by Shyla Pellandini, Studio Arts student at MacEwan University.
The City of Edmonton’s RECOVER team partnered with MacEwan University’s ARTE 111, 2D Foundation: Theory and Structure class. Students participated in learning about RECOVER Urban Wellbeing and ten students then created fine art to reflect RECOVER’s approaches and the six connections at the heart of the wellbeing framework. To see additional samples of this work, please see this report.
A few days into creating the pieces of art for RECOVER, I was walking my dog, Mulder, behind the Alberta Community League. There is a park with a playground, community green shed, and some picnic areas. It is not unusual to see tents, shopping carts, syringes, or debris from a rough night scattered in this area because there are fire pits; a good place to cook food for free. This particular afternoon there was a mess in close proximity to the playground and as I approached, a little girl pointed at the mess and asked, “Do you know who did this?” I didn’t know what to say. As I thought more about it, I felt guilty for not knowing who had made it, who was struggling in that chaotic way, where everything is so out of control and nothing ever goes right. I should know those people. I know my neighbours who have homes, I notice if they put up decorations, we walk our dogs together, if a new Love Lives Here lawn sign goes up, when there is a yard sale. So why don’t I know everyone else in my community? I should know those people too.
“Change happens in layers of small actions, which over time manifests as change in our communities. Together, with each of our small actions, our communities can become a beautiful tapestry where everyone feels like they have something worth contributing.”
As I submersed myself into the assignment, I thought about the connection to body and self, and how a room full of humans practicing yoga felt: divine! How paying such careful attention to every inch of the body, with the permission and space to escape from the day to day, and just how uplifting, rejuvenating, and focused one can feel afterwards. Getting to the place where you can reground yourself and feel safe is also a journey. For some, they would only need the opportunity to show up and be invited into this space. The feeling shared afterwards with the community is a gift that is so precious and loving!
Wanting to explore this rejuvenated feeling more, my second piece explored the relationships between friends, family, and community, and the connection to the land. When we work together and move towards respecting the land, we all flourish. I juxtaposed this with the cast shadows, representing the places where communities can so easily become disconnected in a big city. Urban life can be dissociative, cold, and isolating, with so many walls. It is easy for many of us to become invisible and disconnected. We can create space through art and storytelling to find each other again.
When I think about life on the streets, I immediately think about Diogenes, a philosopher who, through cynicism and social commentary, blamed society for the disconnect. He explored the middle and upper classes as a mechanism for this issue, along with the consumer and the notion of overindulgence. I ask myself how the way I am living contributes to the existence of this gap. Pointing out what is wrong in others is not at any point uplifting or productive, especially in those we do not know. There are so many circumstances that can change a person and their journey. I have had a couple of friends who lived in poverty, on the streets, and forced into situations that require bravery and the abandonment of ego. Peter Hapchyn managed to write and self-publish numerous books (such as A Bohemian Philosophy, For What It’s Worth and It’s a Bum’s Life, to name a few) after finding treatment for schizophrenia, and now lives comfortably. The other unfortunately passed away due to the stress factors and pace of the lifestyle he lived. He was a true wizard and his tarot readings, poetry, and friendship uplifted me in times that were tough, so to me, he will always BE. Purpose means so much, especially to artists and free spirits.
Returning to University after 10 years in the workforce has provided many welcome invitations to learn about culture. I see a lot of beautiful and emotional responses from others as well. As an artist, the roots of Amiskwacîwâskahikan (Beaver Hills House) are natural and land focused, and easily inspire if you already feel the value in preserving nature. We must listen. We have so much to learn! The lotus in this piece represents the listening and connection to our culture. The lotus grows out of mud, which I see as the many issues our city has and is still facing.
These pieces for RECOVER were a positive reminder that each of us can make a difference by adjusting our lifestyles! I know I would very much want to live in a society where nobody is left behind. There is so much healing that needs to take place and if we all put our minds together and start to reimagine communities that include everyone. If we shift towards advocating for nature and uplifting other humans, I believe that our efforts will manifest into less pain and more meaning. Change happens in layers of small actions, which over time manifests as change in our communities. Together, with each of our small actions, our communities can become a beautiful tapestry where everyone feels like they have something worth contributing.
