Every Vancouver resident has the chance to play a small part in a large piece of artwork that will be displayed in the city and support mental health resources at the same time.
Pixel Moments, an initiative of the St. Paul’s Foundation, is collaborating with the producers of the Vancouver Mural Festival this winter to bring people together and celebrate local art. Last year Pixel Moments’ augmented reality (AR) photo-mosaic raised $299,416 for the hospital through 1,834 micro-donors and other support. This year another photo-mosaic is being designed to be featured by VMF Winter Arts.
Created by trans-Indigiqueer or 2 Spirit xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) and Tsimshian artist Chase Gray, the piece will be highlighted on a special activation at VMF Winter Arts from Feb. 11 to 27 at the šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl'e7énḵ Square on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery.
In 2021, Gray revived their lifelong dream of drawing - formline drawing in particular, a Pixel Moments release states. They took inspiration from the Indigenous characters and stories of their childhood and blended them with mainstream concepts. Gray believes people from every culture can understand and appreciate Indigenous artwork in some way and hopes their work captivates a wide audience.
Like last year’s exhibit, anyone who wants to support the artwork can make a minimum donation of $5, upload an image of themselves (to Pixel Moments’ website), which will then be turned into a small part of the final photo mural.
“We are excited to have Pixel Moments’ interactive AR addition as part of VMF Winter Arts,” says Carrie Leung, director of development for VMF. “Their goal to connect people, support communities and brighten spirits aligns with VMF’s values and our festival’s goal to bring art to life on the streets of Vancouver.”
For more information on how to donate and upload your photo to be used for Gray’s upcoming piece, you can check out Pixel Moments’ website.
