In October 2022, Alberta University of the Arts posted a call for submissions for a community mural in the Lodgepole Center, a gathering place to access Indigenous cultural resources, ceremony, programs and supports.
Alum Tully Huculak (BDes ’22, VCD) was chosen to mentor Indigenous students in creating a mural to welcome students, Elders, faculty, staff and community members to the space. With removable panels to access views of the Calgary skyline, the work transforms the dedicated and inclusive meeting spot.
Tully’s artist statement:
“To create this design, I utilized the students and their visual representations of land, horizon and sky. Around 6 of the 8 students submitted imagery that represented their visualization of future connections to each of these categories.
I analyzed the images to find motifs and interconnected representations that each of the students connected to. From there, I extracted elements from each design to create the composition.
The bottom three panels represent the land, including themes of harvest, flora and fauna, and the forms of rolling hills and collies. Next, the middle panel incorporated the contrast between the land and the sky. The imposing half-circle forms represent the mountains and are placed against a cool blue to accentuate their importance to Treaty Seven. Finally, the top panels serve as the sky and mirror the motifs seen on the land as the reflection of our actions on our future ancestral legacy.”
Students who worked on the mural:
- Stephanie One Spot
- Jillian Dolan
- Morgan Black
- Quenton Whitecalf
- Thea Thomas
In other exciting news, Tully was selected to be part of Canada’s first all-Indigenous municipal public art team dedicated to delivering more opportunities for Indigenous artists and increasing Indigenous representation in the public art collection.
About the Lodgepole Center
The Lodgepole Center is a dedicated and inclusive space, where all members of AUArts are welcome. It’s become a popular meeting spot, showcasing the University’s commitment to Indigenous culture, teachings, art, craft and design.
