Life-sized crows marching and cawing, illuminated tents floating on the waterfront and giant balloons sticking out of the ground were just a few of the ways Charlottetown was transformed into a living, breathing work of art this weekend.
Audiences and artists were not let down by Saturday’s sixth annual Art in the Open festival, which saw 37 exhibits spread throughout downtown and Victoria Park.
Becka Viau, project manager and co-curator, said it can be difficult describing the festival and its scope to artists participating for the first time.
“Until you experience it first-hand, it can be kind of a shock to see 2,000 people coming through your exhibit in just a few hours,” said Viau. “I think they really saw the scope and the impact. All the artists are feeling completely thrilled.”
Exhibits included interactive and experimental pieces, live performances, community initiatives, collaborations and much more.
While some were whimsical and lighthearted, others raised thought-provoking questions on issues such as food security, climate change and autism.
There was also an aim for audiences to discover the displays in unexpected places.
“It really enhanced peoples awareness of their surroundings,” said Viau. “What I got from the crowd was that people were feeling inspired, happy and energized.”
Transforming herself into a giant crow has become a yearly tradition for P.E.I.’s Ann MacNiven, who’s taken part in the march nearly every year since its inception.
“I took it off one year so I could photograph the whole thing,” said MacNiven, who explained her passion for the event. “It’s just about becoming one of the crows.”
The event sees hundreds of people making their own crow costumes before parading from the Confederation Centre of the Arts to Victoria Park.
Madge Mossberg and her grandson William MacNeill were also decked out in dark clothing and masks.
“We love going, it’s so fun,” said Mossberg, who also marched last year. “It’s a good time. Everyone’s costume is different, it can be very simple or very elaborate.”
Viau said that while visual arts festivals are still a fairly new platform for exhibiting work, she’s happy to see the Charlottetown event becoming a summer tradition for many.
“It’s sort of breaking down the walls of the white cube, which also has its own place,” said Viau. “But for building an audience, this approach really works well.”
Twitter.com/Mitch_PEI
Life-sized crows marching and cawing, illuminated tents floating on the waterfront and giant balloons sticking out of the ground were just a few of the ways Charlottetown was transformed into a living, breathing work of art this weekend.
Audiences and artists were not let down by Saturday’s sixth annual Art in the Open festival, which saw 37 exhibits spread throughout downtown and Victoria Park.
Becka Viau, project manager and co-curator, said it can be difficult describing the festival and its scope to artists participating for the first time.
“Until you experience it first-hand, it can be kind of a shock to see 2,000 people coming through your exhibit in just a few hours,” said Viau. “I think they really saw the scope and the impact. All the artists are feeling completely thrilled.”
Exhibits included interactive and experimental pieces, live performances, community initiatives, collaborations and much more.
While some were whimsical and lighthearted, others raised thought-provoking questions on issues such as food security, climate change and autism.
There was also an aim for audiences to discover the displays in unexpected places.
“It really enhanced peoples awareness of their surroundings,” said Viau. “What I got from the crowd was that people were feeling inspired, happy and energized.”
Transforming herself into a giant crow has become a yearly tradition for P.E.I.’s Ann MacNiven, who’s taken part in the march nearly every year since its inception.
“I took it off one year so I could photograph the whole thing,” said MacNiven, who explained her passion for the event. “It’s just about becoming one of the crows.”
The event sees hundreds of people making their own crow costumes before parading from the Confederation Centre of the Arts to Victoria Park.
Madge Mossberg and her grandson William MacNeill were also decked out in dark clothing and masks.
“We love going, it’s so fun,” said Mossberg, who also marched last year. “It’s a good time. Everyone’s costume is different, it can be very simple or very elaborate.”
Viau said that while visual arts festivals are still a fairly new platform for exhibiting work, she’s happy to see the Charlottetown event becoming a summer tradition for many.
“It’s sort of breaking down the walls of the white cube, which also has its own place,” said Viau. “But for building an audience, this approach really works well.”
Twitter.com/Mitch_PEI
