If you’ve been to Butler Memorial Park in recent years, you’ve probably noticed pastel coloured vintage-looking telephones throughout the area. But they’re not just phones; what you see is Play It By Ear, an interactive audio sculpture that invites Edmontonians of all ages to embrace connections.
Bet you can guess what world event inspired a communication-based art project. Calgary-based artists Caitlind Brown and Wayne Garrett designed Play It By Ear at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when everyone was social distancing and self-isolating.
“When we began our process of developing a new public artwork for Butler Memorial Park, we were thinking about movement, separation, difference, and the in-between, which ultimately led us towards objects of connection,” reads the Play It By Ear website. “What do we share? Where is our common ground? How can we hear each other more clearly?”
Hello, are you there?
The answer revealed itself in 13 brightly-coloured telephone pillars throughout the park, connected by looping landlines underfoot. Park visitors can pick up the receiver of any one of these telephones to ring a phone elsewhere in the park. If no one picks up, they can leave a message, but if they do, a new and unexpected connection gets made.
It’s a remarkable project, skillfully merging art with play in a way that’s accessible for the average park-goer. It also speaks to a universal experience, reminding listeners of a time when we cared for our neighbours, friends, and family, while missing the connections that typically accompany those relationships.
An international honour
The project has also captured global attention. CODAworx, a public art industry group, has released its list of the top 100 public art projects, and Play It By Ear was among eight Canadian entries selected for the honour.
The top 100 were selected by a distinguished panel of jurors from hundreds of entries across 14 countries.
Making the top 100 list is a testament to what Albertans already know — that the province has an incredible public art scene, and equally incredible artists. Edmonton has nearly 300 public art pieces, while Calgary has about 1,300. Simply put, art is all around us, and there’s so much to discover.
Where: Butler Memorial Park — 15715 Stony Plain Rd., Edmonton
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