It was a perfectly sunny day on Saturday, May 10, as the Town of Cochrane unveiled three brand new pieces of lively public art that are now on display outside The Station at Cochrane Crossing in historic downtown.
Three artists, Karen Ho Fatt, Malann Klassen, and Lara Kruger were joined by Mayor Jeff Genung and members of the Cochrane Arts Task Force for the unveiling of the artworks.
Klassen and Kruger were the artists for Hereafter, a contemporary piece that "captures the connection between past, present and futire." The art resembles a large tree made of different material and has a base of a large sandstone boulder, which the artists say is representative of historical foundations from local quarries. "A vibrant tangle of multi-coloured LED lights and a recycled railway track and forged steel tree...weave diverse narratives of intersected nature and human invention into a luminous canopy."
Klassen and Kruger also contributed to Wagichi ha githni ichiyach or She Who Dances. It is a bronze and resin sculpture of a life-sized jingle dancer and is modelled after a young Stoney Nakoda woman. The sculpture "honours the deep and enduring cultural presence of Treaty 7 peoples in the Bow Valley."
Karen Ho Fatt created Cochrane Bricolage, a mosaic inspired by the town's natural backdrop and rich cultural fabric. Each side of the sculpture is wrapped in intricate glass mosaics that tell a visual story of Cochrane's past, present, and future. "The artwork captures the essence of Cochrane's big skies, rolling hills, and community spirit in a style that is both playful and nostalgic."
