Broadmead Avenue’s Horner Park features a new mural connected to the We the West Basketball Festival.
The bright and colourful sportscape is the first completed piece of 10 planned for Saanich courts.
“The focus was to bring a mashup of art and sports by reimagining what a basketball court can look like – by bringing art to a space that is generally just concrete and animating it,” said Vanessa Leong, festival project manager.
The first Outside the Lines court mural is complete!
— We The West (@wethewestfest) June 24, 2021
"With my own work, I like to draw influence from my culture so I wanted to celebrate and create something that uplifts and strengthens the community." - Rachel Wada, muralist
📍Horner Park, @saanich pic.twitter.com/to4luYj9bC
Vancouver-based artist Rachel Wada was raised in Japan and Hong Kong and brought her cultural influence to the mural.
“I wanted to celebrate the rich cultural history of the Chinese community in Greater Victoria with a contemporary and vibrant design that is engaging and culturally specific,” she said in a statement.
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The concept features a colourful dragon weaving its way across the court. Around the fire-breathing beast are shapes that resemble flames, geometric sunbursts and fireworks. The shadow painted beneath the dragon provides the illusion that it is floating above the court.
Wada hopes this art piece will activate people’s association with the city’s Chinese community, outside of the Chinatown core.
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