More than 50 colourful spheres have been installed in the front lobby of the ACT, in honour of the Maple Ridge Arts Council’s 50th anniversary.
The paper mache spheres resemble balloons flying high over the lobby, greeting everyone who enters the facility.
The balloon art project called Lift was created by more than 80 students in the centre’s Arts Learning Programs and members of the community.
The piece was inspired by multi-disciplinary Japanese artist Yoyoi Kusama, an avant-garde sculptor, painter and novelist – drawing on her use of dots, circles and orbs in her own artwork.
Arts Learning Programs staff and instructors guided the work done by the students and volunteers.
Paper mache is defined by the centre as made from a composite of paper pieces or paper pulp mixed with glue, starch, or adhesive, and is sometimes reinforced by textiles and is an artform that has been developed in diverse cultures for centuries.
Lift is meant to symbolize how civic commitment, public focus, and artistic engagement continue to be buoyant forces, elevating a ‘place’ into a community brought together through the arts.
Work on the project started last May.
The installation will officially open on Tuesday, Feb. 22 and will be displayed until Thursday, June 30.
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