Walls of Change (Portland Hotel mural)

This collaborative mural on cut out plywood was installed at the site of present Portland Hotel, in east Vancouver. It was painted as one part of a six- month initiative called Walls of Change, a large-scale project funded through the City of Vancouver and sponsored by Carnegie Centre. It was initiated to bring different perspectives to an area of the city commonly known for drug abuse and despair. The project involved twenty artists working through numerous organizations. A set of collaborative canvas murals resulted, as well as this piece.

A subsequent phase of this project, during the summer of 1998, resulted in over 12, 000 square feet of street-level mural being painted by volunteers. Although temporary due to being located on boarded up buildings and rough walls, the project was a success both for the community and for the participants. 

Coordinators: Richard Tetrault and Sharon Kravitz