The Talking Poles: Peace Pole

Talking Poles. A collaboration between Lorna Boschman, Victoria Moulder, T’Uy’Tanat-Cease Wyss and local community members who shared their voices and drumming. The collaged images on the Poles were created by Akash Murgai. The audio clips were created in collaboration with community members, with sound design by Take 5. The Talking Poles public art installation, located on both sides of 68th Avenue at the Serpentine Greenway in Newton, Surrey B.C. Canada, commemorates a community dialogue project that transpired over the spring of 2009. The exterior of the two poles is emblazoned with symbolic imagery and words, denoting “peace” and “love” respectively, in languages used throughout the Newton community: Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, French, and English. Also included are iconic First Nations symbols representing these terms, and their translation into binary code, representing the role digital technology plays in contemporary human life. Working with people from the area, two themes were chosen – Love and Peace – these words are displayed in ten languages on the Poles. Pedestrians approaching the Pole trigger a sensor, activating prerecorded audio clips by local residents sending messages to future generations. Joining us was translator and artist TJ Grewal who helped us communicate with community members who provided audio recordings. Most of the audio pieces created for the Love and Peace themed Talking Poles were developed and recorded in this way. To involve participants, we contacted a number of local community groups, schools and spiritual leaders; developed iconography with a university visual art class; worked with high school design students; and organized a World Drumming Day event at a First Nations housing co-op. To engage residents who walked along the Greenway, we designed a Talking Pole prototype and placed it on location. With printed brochures in hand, we stood in front of the prototype inviting people to sit at a table and to talk with us. The Sonic Map is another way to share our collaboration with future generations. We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts in creating Sonic Maps of this project, produced and mapped by Lorna Boschman. The original version created as a public art project for the City of Surrey B.C.