Calgary artist Michelle Hoogveld has been selected to bring new life to the walls of the 4th Street SE Underpass in Calgary with a painted mural titled Corridor of Connection. The project will extend Calgary Municipal Land Corporation’s (CMLC) placemaking efforts from East Village into the balance of the Rivers District known as east Victoria Park.

The RFP set out criteria for artist concepts to explore the themes of connectivity, community celebration, sport and gathering which connect to not only the story of East Village’s transformation but also to the emerging vision for east Victoria Park as Calgary’s Culture and Entertainment district.

CMLC, along with support from a volunteer selection committee, awarded Hoogveld for her vibrant and creative concepts to transform the blank concrete walls of the underpass into a colourful mural to delight passersby.

“Our goal with our curated Art in the Public realm program is to provide opportunity for local and emerging artists to showcase their work through large public installations and also help to transform some of our infrastructure, like the underpass, into vibrant works of art,” says Jessa Morrison, senior manager of brand marketing. “As our work extends into the Rivers District, the 4th Street Underpass is what literally connects East Village into Victoria Park so we saw it as a great way to create a visual connection between the two communities.”

Hoogveld is an accomplished local painter and muralist with formal training in visual communication and design and art education and whose past work has ranged from a series of painted exterior and interior murals, the City of Calgary Utility Box Program and exhibits in local galleries.

The vivid graphic display of art will be hand painted on site and the artist will be onsite for seven weeks for the installation. Corridor of Connection will be displayed for 24-36 months as per all temporary art installations as part of the CMLC Art in the Public Realm program.