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PILGRIMAGE FOR CALGARY / phase 1:
PILGRIMAGE RESEARCH
survey, photographs, office installation with map and projections
The show consisted of a tour office: an oversized map, the filled-out questionnaires, projectected photographs of the city, other related and collected informatio/objects on the city of Calgary.
QUESTIONNAIRE
The Pilgrimage was created with the help of approximately 200 Calgarians and was based on the following three questions:
[1] When you think of Calgary what comes first to your mind (location/image/object/story/ rumour/experience)?
[2] Which place is in your eyes most significant or characteristic for this city?
[3] What do you think Calgary lacks most?
--> phase 2: PILGRIMAGE WALK
performance with rituals, sound, snacks, gestures
…………………………………………………
Following you find an excerpt of the questionnaires:
[1] WHEN YOU THINK OF CALGARY WHAT COMES FIRST TO YOUR MIND?
Home-cows-wind-cold.
Compared to my home town (Iran-Teheran), this city is so small, quiet, clean, cold…..
Fading tradition (cowboy/ stampede/ western culture/ communication), replaced for capital gain.
It reminds me of a new place and of coldness. I never thought to be here.
For me, Calgary is such a calm city and quiet just like my home town back in Iran.
I think of the very male dominated culture. The feeling of cowboy culture, money and physical strength seem to be important here.
Living here is like living in the 1980´s. Especially since all of the clothes from the 80´s have reemerged. But also because there is a lack of care for the environment and an immense amount of growth in industry.
The vast plains opening up and spewing out concrete and oil.
Cowboys and the mountains.
But also a lot of wealth, huge excessive houses and miles and miles of sprawling suburbia.
When I first moved here, I found it very flat and dry. The ´river´ is such a little stream and the city itself seems dull, then I had a talk with a writer here at the University named Aritha Van Herk and she looks at the city differently. She made me see the contrast between the funny commercial and bland way the city is with the country cowboy culture and the desire the city has to be a unique big metropolis like New York (with big businesses, expensive land, 1970´s abstract public art works) but fails miserably, and that is its main charm.
Home. I was born and raised in Calgary. I´ve lived in four different areas (North, East, South, downtown) in Calgary. I was born in the Calgary General Hospital which was demolished in 2000. Lots of places first come to mind, like fish creek and the parking lot and ACAD at night that has a great view. Center Street bridge with the stone lions. The train yard by Ogden road. Lots of wandering around. The Elbow river and rafting. The bow river and the giant pencil sculpture on the shore.
There´s a gap between the imagery the city tries to project and what really exists. For me, Calgary has many close-knit communities, cultures, subcultures and attitudes that are virtually ignored when the city is generalized. These can be overshadowed by big business, urban and economic growth, and ideas of the ´West´.
Unfortunate…..Oil……Young…..Blind/ short sighted…..$
Downtown….safe….bus
I think about a movie I saw some time ago that was filmed only in the malls and +15´s, downtown Calgary- I forget the name of the film or what it was about only that the people never left the mall/ office/ +15/ apartment area.
-housing shortages
-obscene amounts of money
-proximity
-industry
-construction
-oil
-fast pace
-forrest
-Near the Rockies
-Mix of old world & new world
My parents neighbourhood—my childhood, teen years, college was spent there (Bonavista SE). Then, a close second…$,$,$. Too much of it.
Conservative, money, sky, light, new bald, bold, in your face, facts are facts, maan.
-Conservatism
-Suburbia
-Oil and gas industry
-Urban sprawl
-oil and gas
-growth
-a hidden, but prominent and worthwhile creative community that exisits beneath the oil and gas façade
-some really great old spaces (The New Gallery, Truck Gallery, Stride Gallery) Art Central!!
I think of the clash between corporate (skyscrapers, suits, money, industry) with rural prairie roots (farmers, small town life, simpler times)
[2] WHICH PLACE IS ON YOUR EYES MOST SIGNIFICANT AND CHARACTERISTIC FOR THIS CITY?
Kensington
Mission area
The most characteristic is the crane- new buildings taking up spaces that were inhabited by plants, animals—or taking over older buildings. New buildings that will cost a lot of money.
My house….my father worked 25 years oil and gas….my mother is a nurse…my brother works with computers and I wish to be an artist. This demonstrates the freedom of choice, job diversity and the warmth of the city.
There is a hill across from the stampede grounds and close to the cemetary by MacLeod trail. It has a great view of the city (downtown) at night, and its where you can watch the chuckwagon races (for free) as well as have the best view for fireworks during stampede and Canada day. Its not a promoted or tourist location, it´s where the locals go. It´s also a nice park to go for a walk.
Well, I have only been here for a month, so perhaps I don´t know enough about the city to answer yet. But the downtown seems characteristic of the city. It rather baffles me because during the day it is filled with people working and well dressed, and expensive cars and hoppers etc. The buildings are huge and they overpower the now silly-looking Calgary tower which at one time was a symbol of progression and modernity in this young city. What is strange is that at nighttime, from 9:00 on, this downtown area is dead. There is not a soul, except for a community of homeless people. Except for 17th Ave. The downtown becomes a cold and lonely place –such a change from the loudness of the work day. Meanwhile the massive highrises glow in the sky, the offices illuminated, while everyone else is home, safe and sound in their suburbia homes. This is significant because it shows that the city is growing SO fast, the highrises are still being built but there aren´t enough people to fill the streets.
The characteristic space in Calgary, in my eyes, is Prince´s Island Park. It is the one of the few places where you are surrounded by greenery and the river, which close enough to downtown to see the claustrophobia and crowds of business people.
Calgary Tower
Canada Olympic Park
Saddledome
There is a small pond which has lots of trees around it. Such a nice place. When I came to Calgary since I didn´t know anyone I went there singing, talking to ducks. The ducks in the pond were my friends. I took picture of all the seasons since in each season everything was different. I cried, laughed, studied, sang, ran, meditated, excercised in that area. I have lots of memories from that place, however I don´t want to go back again since it reminds me of old memories.
There`s a hill across from the stampede grounds and close to the cemetary by MacLeod trail. It has a great veiw of the city (downtown) at night, an it`s where you can watch the chuckwagon races (for free) as well as have the best veiw of fireworks during stampede & Canada Day. It`s not a promoted or tourist location; it`s where the locals go. It`s also a nice park to go for a walk.
Nose Hill Park and Fish Creek Park
The suburbs – sprawling in every direction. They define this city. No boundaries to prevent growth.
Rapid development
The Grand Thatre and Art Central are significant as to how this city is changing. Landmarks are slowly being preserved and more arts-based locations are being integrated into a rapidly changing city.
Stephen Ave.
I don`t feel like there is a place characteristic of this city. It´s an amalgamation of different worlds, lifestyles, etc.
[3] WHAT DO YOU THINK LACKS CALGARY MOST?
It lacks “heart”.
I like this city and I think of a city as somewhere that I am living, it needs more nature, trees. Overall I like quiet and calm places. Calgary is good.
Maybe it lacks the person that I love, who is back in Asia. It needs more youth gatherings so people can know each other. Maybe sports parties.
A sense of community or concern for others.
Culture…
People used to be really friendly and it´s really not like that anymore- drivers are rude and we are all in a rush. It´s also very hard to get around with so much traffic - no one even looks at each other on the C-train. No one talks.
Calgary seems to lack a definite culture and identity, beyond the stampede and our sports teams.
A thriving, active, safer downtown core that is not so spread out. I think it would give it more of a sense of community.
Active participation. The people can be lazy and/ or shy (myself included) and it is difficult to get people involved in community projects.
I don´t know if ´lack` is the right word but the art community is not very well accepted in Calgary. But I think that it is growing slowly.
It lacks a vibrant downtown. All of the shops are cookie-cutter in all areas of Calgary. There are very few unique stores or artistic places (like coffee shops) that are not major brand name.
Calgary lacks accessability to the art scene. If you want to be involved, you have to DIG for the information. It is difficult to get connected to other artists.
A hip, happening downtown core?? A decent transit system East to West = accessibility.
Age
-Diversity
-appreciation for heritage buildings
The ability to cherish and maintain character facades and locations, such as old buildings and artist-run spaces.
New Public Art.
I think Calgary lacks community and a true identity, besides the clichéd thought of our city being a smaller version of Texas.
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->Phase 2: Pilgrimage walk
--> Marc Clintberg: PILGRIMAGE FOR CALGARY
--> Hugh Graham: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CALGARY?
->tours home
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