Laurent Loyer

Glowing spheres, representing water molecules, will float down the bow in August.

T-shirts, shorts and patio lounging are great, but the Holy Grail of Calgary summers has got to be floating down the Bow River. This wonderful excursion helps keep us going for the rest of the year. But the Bow does so much more than provide recreation, which is why the Calgary Public Art Program is recognizing the waterway with a temporary public art series.

The Celebration of the Bow River 2010 features six public art events that celebrate different aspects of the river, taking place at various locations in the city from June through September.

The first event, “Passages,” by artist Peter von Tiesenhausen, saw 100 hand-carved boats, with little designs of humans nestled in what look like seedpods, released along the river to explore topics of life and water cycles. Prior to their release, the boats were charred and a limited-run of prints were made. If you find one of these carvings, the city has a website — burned onto the boats — to report the location it was found and contribute to the project. Tiesenhausen will give an artist talk at the City of Calgary Water Centre in September about this initiative and to present more of his work.

The second event is a project by artist duo Chloe Lewis and Andrew Taggart in collaboration with Truck Contemporary Art in Calgary’s RV exhibition space, Contemporary Art Public Exhibition Rig (CAMPER). It’s the first of three artist residencies in the CAMPER this summer in partnership with the city. Lewis and Taggart will create “The Museum of Bow” during their stay — collecting items along the river, recording sounds and people and displaying the work as a temporary museum along the Bow. The final product is anyone’s guess. The museum will be open for viewing through the month of July at various locations along the river.

“Observatory,” another residency through Truck, takes place during the first three weeks of August. Artist Jose Luis Torres will construct lookouts for viewing the river, creating a different perspective with strategically planned viewpoints. There are three locations for the observation posts: St. Patrick’s Island, Shouldice Park and Edworthy Park.

During the last two weeks of August, “Sources: River of Light,” by Creatmosphere, a lighting studio that explores light and how it interplays with art, architecture and space, will alter the river landscape with temporary installations. At dusk on August 21, 500 illuminated colour orbs will be released along the Bow starting at Edworthy Park and culminating in the lagoon at Prince’s Island. Each orb represents water molecules and will be coloured to indicate snow melt, rain, groundwater and glaciers. This should not be missed. Make sure to find a good spot to view the spectacle.

Derek Michael Besant’s photography series “I am the River,” will be presented throughout the city, on billboards, buses and C-Trains from August through September. His large images of Calgarians immersed in water serve as a metaphor for people’s relationships with the river.

Finally, Cecile Belmont, in the last Truck residency, will create site-specific events in “Letter Performances.” The name speaks for itself. Belmont will develop relevant phrases, words or statements with participants and then put those letters on shirts. The participants will gather in public, dressed in their letters, form the phrase and then disperse (think flash mob). Belmont will document the performance and place posters with the images around town. Participation is open to the public.

Bringing contemporary art to the banks of the river is more than just celebrating the waterway that helped establish Calgary, it’s another innovative move from the city’s public art program to immerse more and more people in work that isn’t centred on our stylized western image. Mixing relaxed rafters with floating orbs of light, temporary museums and odd wooden lookouts should make for an interesting summer.