Provincial officials hope four new pieces of artwork installed at a school near Fredericton will promote “a sense of shared identity and pride of place among New Brunswickers,” according to the province’s minister of tourism, heritage and culture.
The New Brunswick government said Wednesday it unveiled four pieces of public art at Hanwell Park Academy, a kindergarten-to-Grade 8 school, in keeping with the New Brunswick Public Art Policy.
Tourism, Heritage and Culture Minister Tammy Scott-Wallace said the policy, enacted in April 2018, also aims to recognize and support professional artists from New Brunswick by commissioning public art for new provincially-owned buildings.
“I thank the creators of these outstanding examples of our province’s culture, which will enrich the lives of Hanwell Park Academy’s students, staff and visitors,” she said.
Officials say the four artists represented by the latest art installation are Laura Forrester, Chelsea Landry, Karen LeBlanc and Jean Rooney.
Laura Forrester’s piece, Hanwell Mural Series, displays themes related to the diversity of nature and continuous learning. Chelsea Landry’s New School Collective depicts Hanwell through caricatures of local businesses, historical figures and the environment.
Karen LeBlanc’s Suspended in Time represents blank pages in an open notebook. Jean Rooney’s work, Dawn Chorus, incorporates bright colours and elements of nature into a collage design.
“Appreciating and creating art is an important part of our children’s educational development,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Bill Hogan.
“The Public Art Policy increases the visibility of the province’s artists while adding great cultural value to new schools and other public buildings. Just as importantly, it helps inspire and broaden the minds of our young learners.”