CITY OF SASKATOON PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION RECEIVES RECOGNITION FROM PUBLIC ART YEAR IN REVIEW 2014

The City of Saskatoon is pleased to announce that Cacher pour mieux montrer (Hide to show better) by artist duo Sans façon has received recognition as one of the top public art projects in North America in 2013 from American’s for the Arts, Public Art Year in Review.

Americans for the Arts Public Art Network (PAN) annually recognizes outstanding public art projects that represent the most compelling work for the year from across the continent.  This year, PAN received 342 applications from public art programs and artists, of which 37 were selected for recognition of excellence. The Public Art Network Year in Review is the only program specifically recognizing public art projects.
 
Cacher pour mieux montrer (Hide to show better), is an expression of the French idea that partial concealment enhances attractiveness by suggesting rather than displaying.  For the month of November 2103, existing public art pieces across the city were covered with industrial shrink-wrap.  The pieces remained shrouded while their shape stayed strangely familiar through the new sculptural smooth tight surface.  Cacher pour mieux montrer’s provocative and playful nature invited citizens to temporarily experience what our public space is like without our familiar public art works, inviting questioning and intrigue about the presence and function of public art.  The individual sculptures temporarily hidden from sight were re-revealed in December to great fanfare.

Sans façon required the support of the artists whose work they covered.  The 6 artists and 12 covered sculptures were:

• Ed Gibney:
 Stoic Dignity
 Cascadence
• Douglas Bentham:
 Pinnacle IX - Song of Ancients
 Head
 Arabesque
 Sentinel
• Kevin Quinlan:
 Buskers
 Saskatoon Cougar
• Patty Shiplet:
 Self Portrait
 Play
• Kent Pointon:
 The Winds of Change Are Upon Us
• Laura Hale:
 Maize

The goal of the Placemaker Program is to enhance civic spaces within commercial districts through the placement of temporary public art.  Public art refers to artwork that has been planned and executed in the public domain, in any media, that is outside and accessible to all.  Artists are requested to respond to the sites and take into account the physical or historical contexts.

For more information on the new art installations and the Placemaker Program, please visit www.saskatoon.ca, and look under “P” for Placemaker Program.