See Hear Speak Inflatable by Paul Robles in Old Market Square

Access

À propos

A barrel full of monkeys is popping up in Old Market Square… Don’t miss out or you’ll get caught red-handed!

Run, walk, ride, or roll through the Exchange where inflatables created by local artist Paul Robles will light up Old Market Square. The curved forms will lead you through a snake-like path and make you wonder, why are monkeys building pyramids in the Exchange? Why are their hands red? Are they ghosts of a pre-pandemic social scene?

See Hear Speak was conceived of during the pandemic and is intended to interrupt the quiet of a once thriving gathering place. It is an oddity calling for attention, conjuring a magnetic contradiction that highlights and denies the human experience of contact, folly, and closeness. The playful shapes are layered with monkeys and meaning to suggest team bonding exercises, sporty cheer(leaders), religious divination, and even fraternity hazing. Echoing society’s current unease, the title invokes the proverb of the Three Wise Monkeys and how the threat of isolation and despair can lead to compulsive diversion.

The temporary inflatables, commissioned through Winnipeg’s Public Art Program with support from the Winnipeg Foundation and presented by Winnipeg Arts Council, will be installed September 25 – October 3 in Old Market Square.

About the artist

Filipino born Winnipeg artist Paul Robles is known for his intricate cut paper works. He combines delicate craft with animist familiars, folklore, ghosts, and grief to explore psychological and emotional states. Recently, Robles has begun to incorporate sculptural elements into his work.

Links

• winnipegarts.ca winnipegarts.ca

Organisateur

Winnipeg Arts Council

The Winnipeg Arts Council is an arm’s-length agency of the City of Winnipeg that funds, supports, and champions development of the arts on behalf of the people of Winnipeg. As a city-building organization, the Winnipeg Arts Council focuses its work on the quality of life in the city, as viewed through and influenced by the arts. Winnipeg’s Public Art Program endeavors to increase the use and enjoyment of public space, build social cohesion and celebrate the unique character of Winnipeg.