Grandin/Government Centre Station Art

Grandin/Government Centre Station Murals

The Grandin Murals are the outcome of two years of dialogue and consultation among Edmonton’s Francophone and Aboriginal communities.

Aaron’s Paquette’s artwork is new. Sylvie Nadeau, who created the original mural, has added panels depicting an Aboriginal boy and girl. The original mural, painted by Nadeau in 1989 was commissioned in order to celebrate the historical contributions of Alberta’s Francophone community and particularly Bishop Vital Grandin. However, many felt that the imagery of the original evoked the troubling history of the residential schools.

In 2011, Francophonie jeunesse de l’Alberta and the City of Edmonton with the support of various community agencies, convened a working circle to find solutions to the issue. The collective decision was made to re-envision the original work and commission a new mural.

Sylvie Nadeau added two panels to her original work. The panels, depicting an Aboriginal boy and girl, “speak” to the new mural by Aaron Paquette. The new mural depicts more than 10,000 years of Aboriginal history in the Edmonton area and, through the use of colour and symbol, paints a portrait of hope and healing.