The Art of Neighbourhoods
Marpole/Oakridge

Project Dragonfly (1999-2000)

Project Site: Various locations throughout Marpole

Artist/Facilitator: Eric Neighbour

Coordinator: Theresa Olson

Aunt Leah's Independent Lifeskills Society, an organization in Marpole that works with youth at risk, teamed with artist Eric Neighbour to develop Project Dragonfly "to help unify and bring some new life to Marpole." Starting in 1999 with a theme of flight, the artist gave workshops to small teams of neighbourhood residents, including members of the Musqueam band and other local community groups. In the first year, sixteen large fibreglass creatures were created and suspended upon various fixtures and buildings around Marpole. In 2000, the theme of motion inspired participants to combine animals with everyday objects to create fanciful creatures. Project Dragonfly's arresting sculptures call attention to the neighbourhood with their bold, playful presence, supporting the artist's belief that "public art can be beautiful and relevant without being over-intellectualized."

Also on site:

Celebration (2001)

Artist Judith Atkinson collected 1200 community-created images, from which she derived the composition for this colourful mural on the south wall of the Marpole/Oakridge Community Centre. The mural was completed over the summer of 2001 with the assistance of two youth artists from the neighbourhood, Sherri Law and Nina Matsumoto.

Go to:

Introduction to the Art of Neighbourhoods
Listing of Projects by Neighbourhood and Map
Contact Information

Champlain Heights	Mount Pleasant/Riley Park
Douglas Park	Strathcona & Hastings/Sunrise
Downtown Eastside	Sunset
Dunbar	West End
Grandview-Woodlands	West Point Grey & Kitsilano
Kensington/Cedar Cottage

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