Like Richard, (this is guest blog is by Irene and Walt DeBoni) we love to explore. What makes our city – as well as cities and towns around the globe – tick? What is its past? Who is it at present? What makes it unique? What does it hope for the future?

Murals help to answer these questions. That is why I am disappointed when a mural only consists of splashes of colour or meaningless squiggles. Murals have long been used to tell the past and perhaps show the injustices that still endure.

Perhaps Diego Riviera is the most famous muralist to show the injustices colonists foisted on the new world, particularly in Mexico.

Diego Rivera, mural in Palacio Nacional, Mexico City.

Belfast: Murals in Belfast give the history of the city and country. “The Troubles” is a pro-republican mural showing a phoenix rising from the ashes of a flaming Irish Parliament building. Note the British Army vehicles in the foreground. — **Belfast:** Murals in Belfast give the history of the city and country. “The Troubles” is a pro-republican mural showing a phoenix rising from the ashes of a flaming Irish Parliament building. Note the British Army vehicles in the foreground.

London UK: This is one of our favourite murals as the lady in the hijab just happened to walk by as we were taking the photo. — **London UK:** This is one of our favourite murals as the lady in the hijab just happened to walk by as we were taking the photo.

Bogata, Colombia: .The mural is of the then mayor of the city. The writing is a somewhat vulgar statement - the translation of which we don’t totally recall - but it went something along the line of “Here is your mural, you SOB.” The mayor had sanct… — ***Bogata, Colombia:*** .The mural is of the then mayor of the city. The writing is a somewhat vulgar statement - the translation of which we don’t totally recall - but it went something along the line of “Here is your mural, you SOB.” The mayor had sanctioned murals, according to our guide, and each was approved before it was installed, so the vulgar expression was a bit of a surprise.

A Sense Of History

Considering the number of murals we have in Calgary, very few tell our history. Exceptions include The Northern Hills Community Fence where artist Mark Vazquez-Mackay outlined what would be featured on each length of fence and then community members painted the murals – our history is told from the ice age till the present time, often with a lot of wit.

The Stanley Jones History project, painted by students guided by artist Stan Phelps, is comprised of 12 murals on the 8th Avenue NE fence which tell the history of their school, the Renfrew area and Alberta.

Alberta small towns, like Three Hills, often do a wonderful job of explaining how they came into being using murals.

The Legacy mural by Doug Driediger on the back of the Petroleum Club shows the history of the oil & gas industry in Alberta (and how the oil & gas industry shares the land with farmers and ranchers.) Downtown's newest mural, created by Van Charles Designs on the back of the Hudson Block, shows Baron George Stephen and the elements of the CPR railway he helped found and complete. Did you know: Stephen Avenue was named after him and the CPR determined where our downtown is located today.

Of course, the Stampede has had wonderful murals showing our history. It will be interesting to see the art work that will be present as new buildings take shape on the grounds.

Turner Valley, by Doug Driediger is located on the south side of the Petroleum Club building. It depicts Southern Alberta’s ranching and oil and gas history.

East Village Mural Program

We miss the East Village murals that showcased our history and blended it with imagination, but unfortunately the East Village murals are only temporary - new ones are painted every 24 to 36 months. One example is The Field Manual: A Compendium of Local Influence created by Daniel Kirk, Ivan Ostapenko, & Kai Cabodyna where they sought to tell the story of what the East Village had been and what it could become. We “caught” one of the artists at work under a bridge abutment leading into East Village who told us that they had spent a lot of time at Glenbow doing research to make sure their depictions were accurate.

Kirk, Ostapenko and Cabodyna’s murals program invited you to pause, to examine, to think about what you are looking at. Their location along the East Village RiverWalk enhanced the pedestrian experience significantly.

East Village: The Field Manual: A Compendium of Local Influence which was located on one of the larger pillars of the 5th Ave flyover. — **East Village:** The Field Manual: A Compendium of Local Influence which was located on one of the larger pillars of the 5th Ave flyover.

Chinatown Mural Program

Chinatown does a wonderful job of preserving the past while showing us the present, often with a sense of humor. Many of the murals are in hidden courtyards or in back alleys, but the viewer's perseverance is rewarded. Revision of Last Spike tells us a story that is not to be forgotten – the contributions of the Chinese to the building of the railway and the toll on the Chinese people. But then we return to the present with a great take on the Peace Bridge designed by Ginny Tran, labeled the Dragon Bridge, that celebrates Canadian multiculturalism.

The latest is a humorous view of Chinese icons – koi fish and panda bears (it helps that the Calgary zoo has twice hosted pandas – so a real China-Calgary connection).

A Sense of Place

Second Cup Coffee is to be commended for the murals on its walls in their coffee shops. When in the Beltline location, one knows it is Calgary – and specifically the Beltline (17th Ave at 4th St SW) - that is being depicted as the mural is full of local references. There is a real “sense of place.”

Ditto the Kensington location – unfortunately the artwork is no longer present now that another coffee shop is in that spot.

Kensington: The old mural in the Kensington Second Cup captured all of the iconic buildings in the neighbourhood, created a wonderful sense of place. — **Kensington:** The old mural in the Kensington Second Cup captured all of the iconic buildings in the neighbourhood, created a wonderful sense of place.

Bueonos Aires: Mural in La Boca neighbourhood. Sometimes sense of place could also mean the things that are important to its citizens.  We saw both murals of soccer and the tango that show the passions of Argentinians. — Bueonos Aires: Mural in La Boca neighbourhood. Sometimes sense of place could also mean the things that are important to its citizens. We saw both murals of soccer and the tango that show the passions of Argentinians.

Calgary: Mural formerly located at Macleod Trail and 13th Ave. S.E. Advertising murals can even tell us who we are.  Although no longer present, this mural of Alberta Ballet shows us beauty, and the crucial role of arts and culture. — Calgary: Mural formerly located at Macleod Trail and 13th Ave. S.E. Advertising murals can even tell us who we are. Although no longer present, this mural of Alberta Ballet shows us beauty, and the crucial role of arts and culture.

2020 BUMP mural, Joy & Fertility, by Ankhone, a Montreal artist. A tribute to our response to COVID. In talking to some of the artists last fall who were creating the Beltline murals, at least a couple said that they wanted to bring some peace … — **2020 BUMP mural, Joy & Fertility**, by Ankhone, a Montreal artist. A tribute to our response to COVID. In talking to some of the artists last fall who were creating the Beltline murals, at least a couple said that they wanted to bring some peace or a ray of hope to people in the time of COVID. Thus, several used some aspect of nature in their art, perhaps a desirable feature at this time.

Inspiration For The Future

A mural in the Icon Factory highlighting the achievement of a Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume. By looking to the past, murals can also serve as inspirations for the future. The Icon Factory in Dublin puts full size posters in alleys showing contributions of Irish cultural icons. We thought it was such a good idea that we donated to its cause.

In Calgary, the huge mural of the dove and hand reaching up that has graced the east wall of the old Calgary Urban Projects Scociety building for over 25 years is a great example of how a mural can be inspirational. Even though CUPS itself moved from the building several year ago. the mural has become part of Calgary’s sense of place. The fact that 1,000s of many people protested, when it appeared it would be painted over, attests to the fact murals that speak to a city’s history, culture and place can be important to people.

Link: Calgary: Let’s Save “Giving Wings to the Dream” Mural

Give Wings To The Dream, by Doug Driediger, conveys a message of hope to everyone who see it.

Conclusion

We have some great murals in Calgary, but we would love to see more that show locals and tourists who we are today, who we were in the past and who we want to be in the future.

Last Word

Irene and Walt are not only regular Everyday Tourist readers, but they are very active in Calgary’s historic preservation and storytelling community. They are avid neighbourhood explorers when they are in Calgary and avid flaneurs when they travel to other cities. I concur with their observations both about Calgary’s murals and those in other cities. Seems to me the older the city, the more the murals reflect the city’s history and culture.

I would like to add a couple of more Calgary murals I think speak to Calgary’s sense of place and history.

This mural is located on the side of the former Ten Thousand Villages, now Villages Calgary on Crowchild Trail at 2nd Ave NW, a store supporting producers from marginalized communities through ethical and fair trade. While it doesn’t reflect Caglary… — This mural is located on the side of the former Ten Thousand Villages, now Villages Calgary on Crowchild Trail at 2nd Ave NW, a store supporting producers from marginalized communities through ethical and fair trade. While it doesn’t reflect Caglary’s history directly it does relate to the building’s purpose, as well as to Calgarians history generosity of helping others locally and around the world who are less fortunate.
Artist: Daniel j Kirk

Chalk Drawing, by Jason Botkin is located on the side of the Attainable Homes building at 9th Ave and 5th Street SW. Attainable Homes is a City of Calgary initiative that helps Calgarians purchase their first home. The child in this mural lives in … — Chalk Drawing, by Jason Botkin is located on the side of the Attainable Homes building at 9th Ave and 5th Street SW. Attainable Homes is a City of Calgary initiative that helps Calgarians purchase their first home. The child in this mural lives in one of the Attainable Homes buildings. Calgary like many cities around the world has an affordable housing problem.

The Guide & Protector, by Jae Sterling and art collective SANSFUCCS is located in Chinatown at the corner of 1st St and 3rd Ave SW. It is inspired by John Ware a black Calgary pioneer and cowboy who arrived in Calgary in 1882. Link: The Guide &… — The Guide & Protector, by Jae Sterling and art collective SANSFUCCS is located in Chinatown at the corner of 1st St and 3rd Ave SW. It is inspired by John Ware a black Calgary pioneer and cowboy who arrived in Calgary in 1882. Link: The Guide & Protector

Mural Musing: Are Calgary's Murals Too Generic?