Rana Jreidini
Walking A/R/Tographically between Lebanon and Canada
Walking A/R/Tographically through the streets of Lebanon and Canada, exploring public art was similar yet different. In both countries, my walks were conducted in Downtown and its greater surrounding as well as the Old Port. Lebanon being a small country, the walks took place in two different cities; Beirut and Byblos, differently to just one city in Canada; Montreal.
My walks focused on three different themes of public art: Graffiti, Historical and Sculptural, which certainly intertwined during the walks.
Walking for the search of graffiti art in Montreal was simple as one graffiti lead me to the other very easily and noticeably, as they are also placed in streets and alleys where one could take the time to admire the graffities. In comparison to Beirut, it required asking individuals of which streets I would find graffities before beginning my walk, as they are distanced from one another and placed in crowded streets where people do not tend to stop to visualise them easily and closely. The comparison additionally showed the different approaches expressed through the art, as some were revolutionary in Beirut, which is unlikely to be found in Montreal.
Historical public art was mainly represented through the building’s history as well as its architecture, mainly found in the Old Port of Montreal and Byblos. Historical and Sculptural public art intertwined in both countries within the representation of historic figures through sculptures. There were however other sculptures which were more visually artistic.
Through this walking journey, envisioning public art as an artist, researcher and teacher, widened my observation approach. As an artist, I observed the beauty, technique, and effort that was put into each artwork. This is also when I allowed myself to criticize the works and the relation to their context, based on my own interest. After photographing the public art works along my walks, as a researcher, I looked deeper into each art piece, researching for more information about the artists, and a better understanding of the significance of each work. This process was developed through a visual journal where my photographs were printed and pasted to a notebook with notes added. It allowed further observation and exploration of different public art forms in their surroundings. Advancing from the artistic and researcher views, as an art educator, I began to explore the significance of mapping public art as an educational tool for learning about a community through different walks and surroundings.
