A Camosun College student is taking matters into their own hands and placing guerrilla art around campus without getting college approval. The student is making the art to raise awareness about diversity issues. Their biggest installation so far has been a large picture of Mt. Everest stuck to a staircase in the Wilna Thomas building on the Lansdowne campus. They’re also placing small felt flowers around campus, with notes attached to them, as part of their work.
The student (because of the nature of guerrilla art, the student will remain anonymous in this story) says that with the art they are hoping to instil in people the idea that faith and hope in humanity has been restored.
“When you think of flowers growing through the cracks of a concrete sidewalk, there’s that aspect of hope, and the little note on there was kind of implying that,” says the student, adding that everyone can relate to feeling different and left out at times. “That’s why all the flowers are different.”
Second-year English student Scott Spaldingsays that he saw the flowers around campus but didn’t take too much notice; when we tell him the same person did the Everest installation, he has nothing but good things to say.
“See, that’s creative. They’re trying to make a difference every day; that’s neat,” he says. “As long as it’s not hurting anyone, it’s fine.” (Camosun did not respond to requests for comment about the art.)
Traditionally, guerrilla art is done quietly and without permission and is in a public space for the masses to see. There’s not necessarily recognition for the artist; it’s more about the message.
“It’s unauthorized,” says the student. “It’s just to kind of take people by surprise, and hopefully make a memorable impression, and kind of create some social buzz.”
Other students had positive things to say about the art.
“I like it,” says second-year Indigenous College Prep student Mary Harry. “It’s a good idea to get it out there.”
First-year Practical Nursing student Shannon Smith says the project is really good and positive.
“There’s a lot of differences, and a lot of people who don’t feel like they fit in,” saysSmith.“Promoting [diversity] makes the community stronger.”
Smith doesn’t think the nature of guerrilla art is a problem, especially because this art in particular was easily removed.
“If they’re damaging property, then maybe [it’s not okay], but it has a good message, and it’s not damaging anything,” says Smith.
The student creating the art says they originally had an idea to bring soil and real flowers on campus, but they were unsure about any possible restrictions around bringing soil onto Indigenous land. Even with felt flowers and removable adhesive posters as their mouthpiece, there was still a bit of uncertainty around putting the art around campus, says the student.
“You’re a little bit afraid,” says the student, recalling a time they saw a security guard on campus as they were carrying a box containing the flowers. “I was like, ‘Uh-oh, is he for me?’” (The security guard wasn’t out for the student—he walked past them.)
The student says that society still has a lot of work to do when it comes to diversity.
“The people that are in my program, and myself, I feel like we’re trying to do that work,” they say. “There’s so many things we can do, big and little.”
The student knows there is a system in place that serves as a reference point for how people should act in our society, but they say that fitting in can get challenging.
“We have these systems that are kind of geared towards people that fit that mould,” they say. “I sometimes wonder, ‘Who actually does fit that mould?’ I know I don’t. I don’t feel like I really know anyone that does.”
The student says that it’s important to fight back, and one way to do that is through art.
“We have these world leaders and stuff—I won’t mention any names—but I feel like it’s going the wrong way,” they say.
The student has plans to do at least two more diversity art projects around the Lansdowne campus. They say the next one will take place in February and the one after that in March.
“I just sometimes wonder, ‘What’s the most important thing here?’ I think it’s people and their lives. It should matter,” they say. “It should matter a lot.”
It matters to some people. One morning at about 7 am, when the student was placing one of the bunches of felt flowers in a sidewalk crack near the corner of Foul Bay and Lansdowne, a cyclist dismounted from her bike and came over to the student.
“She came over, and she patted me on the back, and she’s like, ‘Thank you so much for doing this,’” says the student. “She didn’t read the note or anything. She just kind of saw it and it made her happy, and she gave me a big hug.”