Light load: Airport art goes live

UPDATED

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia—Art lovers who wanted to watch the artistic process in action had the opportunity to do so this past weekend in Halifax.

Mi’kmaq artist Alan Syliboy created a mural for the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. Over the course of three days (August 9-11), he was perched on a scaffold in the airport’s main lobby painting a 4.5 meter wide by 3.5 meter high mural.

The public was invited to follow his progress either by coming to the airport and viewing the creation of the mural in person or by watching the process unfold via webcam. The Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA) streamed video of Syliboy as he worked.

The completed mural is entitled 3D Butterfly. It depicts a butterfly/man and is done with the double curve motif which symbolizes life. The butterfly represents the freedom of the soul to wander and it flies in the ray of Grandfather Sun, the giver of life.

Syliboy’s work has been shown at the airport before. His mural Rebirth, 2011, was on display at the airport during the 2011 Canada Games. It featured animals and people in painted in the traditional Mi’kmaq petroglyph style.

The province of Nova Scotia contributed $30,000 towards the project, as part of its support for the arts and commitment to celebrating Mi’kmaq culture and heritage.

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