Excavation: Unearthing the Stories and History of a Space (Part 2) is Back at Sparrow in April!
LAUNCH: Thurs April 7, 12-7pm
Thanks to a grant by the Calgary Arts Development and the City of Calgary, February's Artists in Residence, have been able to continue their project into April.
Artists Lucy Altrows, Ramsey Kunkel, Colleen Rauscher, and Jenny Tzanakos invite you to participate in this community art project, as together, we unearth some of our collective history and add voices to the evolving narratives of a place. Excavation is an exploration of Sparrow Artspace, the De Waal building in which it is housed, as well as the surrounding neighbourhoods and the land on which it was all built.
More information coming soon about Speaker's Corner, scavenger hunts, photo walks, teachings about the land, cyanotype workshops, and more!
Join Calgary artists in an archeological dig of lost and forgotten items
Helen Pike, CBC News, Feb 21, 2022
“In the basement of a more than 100-year-old building, there's a treasure trove of memories, photos, and pin-ups disintegrating on the walls.
Inside the Sparrow Community Artspace, an artistic archeological dig is happening — four artists, inspired by each other and the items they find, are hoping to have community conversations.” > read more
Excavation: Unearthing the Stories and History of a Space
February 2022
Using photography as an archaeological tool, Excavation explores the history of Sparrow Artspace, the De Waal building in which it is housed, as well as the surrounding neighbourhood and the land on which it was built. To unearth some of Sparrow’s story, photographers Lucy Altrows, Ramsey Kunkel, Colleen Rauscher, and Jenny Tzanakos dig for visual clues, historical records, and anecdotes. As pieces of Sparrow’s history are exhumed, a photography exhibition will emerge, offering visitors a glimpse into the past and an opportunity to contribute to the space’s evolving story.
For the month of February, Sparrow will transform into photographic dig site, housing the following:
a workspace where the artists will conduct research, collect artifacts, and study historical evidence
an interactive area in which visitors can share knowledge of the building/neighbourhood, as well as view what others have shared;
a photography-based installation created during the residency.
This project is part of the EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY FESTIVAL!
Share Your Stories
As we dig through the De Waal building in Bridgeland, Calgary, and find gems like letters, photos, and artifacts, our curiosity grows. Do you have stories, photos, or artifacts you would like to share with us? Join our exploration of a space and the land it sits on. Whether you are someone who lives in the Bridgeland/Crescent Heights neighbourhoods, or your ancestors settled in this area or lived on the land before it was colonized, we want to hear from you! Every voice adds to our collective understanding of history, deepens our knowledge, and sparks our creativity.
How to share your stories:
Community Digger Form: share your stories and photos through our community digger form.
Instagram: Tag your stories and photos @excavationphotodigyyc #excavation_photodig_yyc
In Person: Please email excavationphotodig@gmail.com to set up a time for a wee interview or simply drop by Wed-Sun.
Email: share your photos and stories via email to excavationphotodig@gmail.com
We will be weaving your contributions into our photo residency.
Artists in Residence
Ramsey Kunkel
Ramsey Kunkel is a local Metis artist and freelance photographer, based in Calgary, Alberta. He specializes in portrait photography, and has taken photos for local, national, and international clients.
Although Ramsey's art is varied, much of his work is centered around his indigenous culture - alive, colourful, and full of movement. Ramsey has a love of nature, people, and family; and hopes a sense of caring will come through his work.
To view more of Ramsey's work, please visit: www.ramseykunkel.com or contact him directly at: info@ramseykunkel.com
Colleen Rauscher
Colleen Rauscher is a Calgary-based collage/mixed media artist and photographer who recently re-discovered film photography and the allure of the darkroom after a 30-year hiatus, when she first discovered photography at ACAD (now Alberta University of the Arts), before digital existed.
After taking an introductory darkroom class at SAIT in early 2018, her original passion for analogue photography was re-ignited, and she started experimenting with a low-tech Holga camera.
Rauscher holds a BFA from Concordia University in Montreal, and has participated in local, national and international exhibitions with her mixed media artworks and photography.
Colleen was the Emerging Photographer of the Year in 2020 for the Exposure Photography Festival.
Jenny Tzanakos
Jenny Tzanakos is a local media designer, storyteller, and artist. Jenny zigzags between photographer, small scale sculpture, video, audio, and animation - and then attempts to put them all together. For the past five years, she has had the honour of working with many Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers through her work as a media designer at Bow Valley College. She previously worked as the marketing assistant for Art Central, and as the subscription manager for local design magazine, UPPERCASE.
Jenny's work has been in Calgary's Exposure Photo Festival, the Canmore 7 Minute Film Festival, the Marion Nicoll Gallery, UPPERCASE Magazine, as well as several other galleries and publications.
Lucy Altrows
Lucy Altrows is a self-taught artist who has been taking photos since she was a kid. Patterns and reflections guide much of her work and you will often find her looking up at mirrored buildings while walking through downtown Calgary. She also finds inspiration in using street photography to capture candid moments-often combining realism with a timeless quality. Lucy is currently working towards her Masters of Education, specializing in distance learning. For the last 10 years, Lucy has worked as an instructor and tutor for adult foundational learners.