Art installation aims to connect people in west Edmonton
An art installation at Butler Memorial Park aimed to bring people closer together with the use of landline telephones.
Six phones were set up on a closed intercom system over the weekend. When soneone picked up one phone another one in the park would start to ring, allowing people in the park to talk to each other from afar.
“For some generations, one of the things you do to pass the time is just pick up the phone and call a friend and have a chat and using these traditional telephones, I think, has a bit of nostalgia associated with it,” said Wayne Garrett, one of the artists.
The installation Sunday was just a prototype for a future piece Garrett and Caitlind Brown are working on.
“The form of the artwork is going to depend on our experiment today,” said Brown. “So no matter what, there’ll be some sort of element of domestic object.”
The installation was only up for the weekend, but people can call 877-516-2990 to leave a message that will be used in the full installation.
“The content from those messages will be on the voice mail of the eventual installation so that if someone picks up a phone in the park and no one answers, then they’ll hear these messages that other people left and they’ll have a chance to leave a message for the future,” said Garrett.
A pop up art installation was connecting Edmontonians. Sunday Oct. 24, 2021 (CTV News Edmonton)
If this installation goes forward in the park, it’ll sort of be like a walkie-talkie system, so the people who use this space often, maybe they’ll see a friend across the park and the phone closest to their friend will ring,” added Brown.
“So there’s a possibility for the phones to be useful, but more than anything we imagine this idea of, maybe people who don’t know each other already, like strangers, having a conversation and connecting in some small way, even if it’s just a voice mail.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.