Victoria’s Contemporary Urban Totem Poles
While wandering the streets of any city, I am always on the lookout for something different, something a bit strange. For example, after only a few days of exploring the streets of Victoria I started to make the connection that modern Victorians were using their wooden street poles as the indigenous people did centuries ago, to tell their stories and decorate their community.
Fun Flaneur Find
On my first day in Victoria, while wandering the James Bay neighbourhood I discovered several wooden telephone poles painted from the ground to about six or eight feet high along Niagara Street near a school and community centre. Most of the paintings looked like children’s art or folk art, but they were fun and colourful, definitely enhancing the pedestrian experience. As I continued to wander the streets in other neighbourhoods I found more and more decorated poles.
I also became fascinated with the layers of posters taped to downtown poles, mostly at eye level. I found the collage of images and messages intriguing, both visually and verbally. They were like a diary of the social and political culture of the community.
And of course when you wander the streets of Victoria you often encounter large totem poles– a constant reminder of the city’s indigenous history.
I couldn’t help but wonder if there isn’t a connection between the past and the present.
Telephone Poles As Canvas
Turns out the painting of Victoria’s telephone poles started in 2008 as a response to graffiti on of the poles in the community of Fernwood. The “Pole Painting Project” was led by artist Beth Threlfall who obtained permission from BC Hydro to paint the pole in front of her house as way of removing the tagging and graffiti that she often found on the pole. While not everyone loved her “soul poles” as she called it, many others were inspired to paint other poles. It became a fun community project. So much fun that other Victoria communities imitated it – James Bay, Oak Bay and Quadra.
Then in 2019, BC Hydro put a stop to the painting of telephone pole stating when you paint the pole, you could be covering over defects in the pole that we need to be aware of so we can properly maintain our equipment. And the poles are porous and need at least some sort of strip around the bottom left clear of paint to let water escape. They also noted there were some complaints from residents who didn’t like the art. The pole painting ban now extends provincewide.
Firstly, while do the complaints of a few, trump the enjoyment of many. I see this all the time - a loud minority seems trying to run / ruin the lives of the silent majority. Secondly, I really doubt these painting hide any serious defects and thirdly as for letting water escape they could just ask artists not to paint the two feet at the bottom of the pole.
Telephone Pole Collages
For several years now I have been photographing poles in downtown streets covered with posters – I think it first started in Halifax. Yes, lots of cities have poster boards or walls on pedestrian oriented streets where art groups, businesses, protestors etc. can tack or tape up their latest poster, but that seems too organized. I love the chaos of the limited space on a circular pole.
What I love about the pole poster postings is how they get torn, hang out over the edge, merge and weather to become small street artworks. They have elements of muralism, constructivism, graffiti and street art. They remind me of some of the work of pop artists James Rosenquist and Jim Dine.
Each pole is like a public diary of what has been, or going to happen, in the community.
Last Word
The more I wander the streets of cities the more aware I become they are like outdoor art galleries or museums. In many ways I find streets much more interesting than the institutions, as I love the element of surprise and the thrill of the hunt.
If you like this blog, you will like these links to similar blogs:
Nelson BC: Fun, Funky & Quirky
Calgary: Fun, Funky, Quirky Fences
Hillhurst/Sunnyside Street Art Fun!