Special mural of ship to be installed at Vollmer
LaSalle is calling on its residents to help create a mural of the 17thcentury sailing ship Le Griffon, which will be installed permanently at the Vollmer Complex to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday.
The artwork is part of the Canada 150 Mosaic project, which will see 150 individual eight-foot by 12-foot murals created from more than 80,000 four-inch by four-inch paintings, in communities across Canada.
LaSalle has chosen the Griffon to be the centrepiece of its mural, said Dawn Hadre, corporate communication and promotions officer. The Griffon was built by Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, on the Niagara River in 1679. It was to be the first full-sized sailing ship on the upper Great Lakes but it disappeared on the return trip of its maiden voyage. Its image is now part of LaSalle’s logo.
Hadre said the community is welcome to participate in the painting of the tiles that will create the image of the Griffon on the mural. But the unique part is each tile will be its own one-of-a-kind painting.
Some direction will be given on what colours can be used for each tile but then it’s up to the participant to create the image.
Once all the tiles are painted, artists will assemble them and the image of the Griffon will be seen.
Hadre said a digital image of the mural will become part of a “virtual train” that will piece together all 150 murals, creating a historical and cultural legacy.
“Each (image will be) created on a train car and when they put it all together it will be like a giant train, which is the foundation of the unification of Canada … how you could travel from one end of Canada to the other,” Hadre said.
The finished piece will be unveiled at an event on July 1 and then be permanently installed at LaSalle’s Vollmer Complex.
Hadre said 250 schoolchildren are taking part in the project, leaving 200 tiles for anyone else who would like to register to participate.
Public sessions are set for Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m., Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, by appointment only.
Call 519-969-7770, ext. 1221 or send an email to communications@LaSalle.ca to reserve a spot.