Completed in January 2020, the “Maple Ridge Community Mosaic” celebrates the Leisure Centre as an important social hub. This work was commissioned by the City of Maple Ridge through its Public Art Program and Steering Committee. Artists Rebecca Bayer and David Gregory worked with students and community members at artist-run workshops and combined hundreds of patterns to create a vibrant representation of the interconnections between people and place in our community. This unique artwork signifies community, togetherness and the interdependence of parts within a whole.
The “Maple Ridge Community Mosaic” was designed for three locations spanning 410 square feet within the Leisure Centre. Overall, more than 14,000 custom-made triangular ceramic tiles using recycled glass powder mixed with clay were used to create the mosaics. Even the colours are unique to Maple Ridge – a palette of twelve custom colours was developed based on photographs of our community’s landscape submitted by residents.
In cultures all around the world, patterned tiles and geometric patterns are used in public spaces to indicate use, provide way-finding, add beauty, encourage social interaction and inspire thoughts. The “Maple Ridge Community Mosaic” is arranged within a grid of equilateral triangles. Symbolically, triangles represent the strongest natural shape. The Mosaic is a colourful and complex artwork that creates a unique landmark that can be experienced in a variety of ways and intuitively locates visitors within the building.
