Connections polyptych mural - Calgary, AB, Canada - Murals on Waymarking.com

“Connections is an expression of colour and mark making that celebrates the energy of the library and its community. The multi-part artwork also conveys the evolution of the written word from children's marks through written and typed script to the interconnected web of online communication.” — from plaque near doorway

This unusual mural by Carl White consists of six separate pieces (a polyptych) arranged around the entrance to Calgary’s Signal Hill Library. Two pieces are on steel girders while the other four are rectangles mounted near the doors. All pieces are stylistically coordinated, in blues and greens, and have a theme of literacy and reading. Some pieces have readable text, others have lines suggestive of handwriting or of this library’s architecture.

The pieces also interact with the library’s official signage. The lintel (horizontal girder) piece supports the official “CALGARY PUBLIC LIBRARY” cutout lettering on its upper surface. The “SIGNAL HILL” lettering is directly above the doors, which are flanked by the four panels.

The six pieces are:

Lintel above entranceway: “Rd” in white typeface and “community” in white script; a few white lines of pseudo-handwriting. Background Shades from dark blue to pale blue. Some straight and curved white and blue lines suggest the building’s skylights or a builder’s blueprint.

Post: Handprints of neighbourhood children reaching up from the bottom, alongside childish letters and numbers, all in a variety of primary colours. Post’s background shades from yellow at base to blue at top. Some white and blue lines at the top continue lines seen on the lintel.

Small panel to left of doors: “OPEN” in white typeface on blue background.

Small panel to right of doors: “welcome” in white typeface on blue background.

Two larger panels on walls flanking the small panels: Black pseudo-handwriting on green and blue panels. The size and position of these panels echoes the size and position of the windows to the right of the entrance.

This mural was unveiled in September 2013, after the library building’s major expansion project in 2010, and was part of the City of Calgary’s “Percent for Art” program associated with that project.

This program sets aside a small percent of the funds for any major building project, to be used for art (or art-adjacent work, such as restoring existing art) to enhance that project. Many public art pieces in Calgary were created through this program.

Calgary Public Library: 2013 Report to the Community [pdf] - see page 17 for info on mural (visit link)

City: Calgary Location Name: Signal Hill Library Artist: Carl White (b. 1969) Date: 2013 Media: Acrylic paint on metal girders, panels Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]

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