By Lara Fominoff @fomsy1 on Twitter

Public invited to Fort Whoop-Up to help re-create Blackfoot artwork destroyed by vandals

Jun 18, 2017 | 11:09 AM

LETHBRIDGE – It took artist Sarah Russell months to painstakingly create the Blackfoot symbol of unity on the side of a coulee, in Indian Battle Park.
 
It took just a couple of days in late May for vandals to destroy it.
 
Russell created the piece as part of the “LandMarks 2017” exhibition, aimed at connecting and exploring Canada. More than 100 works are being presented in 20 national parks and historic sites that will be open to the public from June 20-27. 
 
Sixteen universities and 12 Canadians artists are taking part.
 
The display Russell made, consisted of more than 150 large, hand-painted white rocks.
 
“I started with seven rocks, and they were really heavy. It took two months to get every rock painted and into place.”
 
Russell says she wanted to represent the U of L, the Blackfoot people, the territory, and all human beings.
 
She needed permission from the elder who originally created the symbol, before she could re-create it, and to understand its meaning.
 
“You can’t just go and take a rock,” she explained. “In our culture, we believe everything is alive, and has its place, so I didn’t feel comfortable just going to take rocks. Therefore I had to talk to the elders about how to obtain the rocks respectfully for this piece.”
 
With encouragement from U of L Instuctor Jackson 2Bears and the Faculty of Fine Arts, Russell will try again.
 
Tuesday, July 20 at 10 am, the public is invited to join her at Fort Whoop-Up to help reconstruct the symbol on the coulee.
 
Anyone who is interested in going, should dress for the weather and be prepared to hike up steep terrain that contains cactuses. There could also be rattlesnakes in the area.