About the Artwork
Calgary-based artist Cassie Suche has installed a large, land-based work in Horsy Park. Treating the grass as a canvas and using fertilizer and green dye as paint, the artist has created an intricate pattern that will grow and change with the park over time. The work will likely disappear by next year, although a few traces may remain.
The work uses contrast and repetition to create a design that covers an area almost as large as the outdoor rink. Although the work is abstract, it may get you thinking about our relationship to the environment, and the resources we use to make outdoor natural areas fit our ideas of what they should look like. You may also find the way the work changes over time intriguing. Come back regularly to see how the work evolves with the seasons.
Artist Statement About “Grow”
Prior to making this work, the artist submitted a proposal describing it. Here is what she said about it:
Land art is fascinating and provocative to audiences. Works of this nature encourage contemplation of our connection to the earth, our impact on the land, and our capabilities as a species. Land art elevates a conversation of art and sustainability beyond the novel re-use of waste materials. The scale, transience, and ethereal qualities of the work reference civilizations of the past, prodding at our deep rooted curiosity of archaism. Many people have never been exposed to land art, and I have no doubt this work will draw visitors to the park and incite an active dialogue of art, nature, and sustainability.
About the Artist
Calgary artist Cassie Suche studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and Leeds Arts University. The recipient of multiple public commissions, you may recognize her work from her wall covering in Our Daily Brett, her mural in Bolder Climbing Community, or her mural created as part of the Beltline Urban Murals Project (BUMP), located at 1518 – 7th St SW.
Cassie is known for her use of pattern and repetition. She creates works using a variety of media, including paper, canvas, wood, brass, and much more. The work she has produced for Horsy Park will one of her largest works to date.
You can see more of Cassie’s work here: https://cassiesuche.com/
About the Project
This artwork was made possible by a grant from the Parks Foundation and the City of Calgary. The aim of the grant was to create an outdoor experience that people could visit safely during the pandemic.
The MPCA applied for and received the grant. We issued a call for artists to create a temporary work of art that would attract people to the space, and that would engage viewers in dialogues about sustainability. A jury made of community residents reviewed multiple outstanding submissions, but ultimately chose Cassie’s work for its innovative choice of materials, aesthetic qualities, and ability to enhance the park over time without significantly disrupting the park’s use.
