Ursula Neufeld & Annie Bergen at Hugh John Macdonald School
Artists in the Schools Residency Program
January 17 – April 19, 2012
Hugh John Macdonald School sits at the corner of Bannatyne Avenue and Kate Street in Winnipeg’s culturally rich inner city. As part of the ArtsSmarts program, and with major funding from the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Medicine, Ursula Neufeld (mosaic artist) and Annie Bergen (visual artist) worked with Hugh John Macdonald School to create a 40-foot by eight-foot high mixed-media mural.
“I think this mural is a great thing to have in this neighbourhood. It has lots of teachings, it’s multicultural and it’s very beautiful. It helps in the beautification of the neighbourhood.” – Teacher at Hugh John Macdonald
This community-based project resulted in the collaboration between 230 Hugh John Macdonald students, 30 staff members, 20 Youth Peacebuilding facilitators from the Canadian Mennonite University and the University of Winnipeg, and 100 members of the community.
“What I like most about the mural are the different people that represent the different religions and cultures of different nationalities… There are Aboriginal, Filipino, Japanese, African and Indian cultures on one wall.” – Grade 9 student
The mural on Kate Street is a testament to the spirit of the community that built it.
Winnipeg Free Press: dedication of new mural
Ursula Neufield: check out her community mural projects
Annie Bergen: see some of her other murals
