Public Art In Our Parks
Raking Leaves With @Rakemob
On any given Fall day, in a Vancouver park, you’ll come across what appears to be a zen garden of leaves. But only if you’re lucky. These precise geometric patterns exist only until the next gust of wind comes along.
Nik Rust, is the artist behind Rakemob, a project that brings unpretentious public art to parks around the city. If you ever needed a reason to spend more time in our world-class parks this fall - maybe this is it.
Tell us about the project?
For four years now, I’ve gotten out to public spaces for a handful of early mornings in the fall to rake concentric circles out from the bases of trees. That’s pretty much it!
How did you get started doing this in parks and public spaces?
The idea had been bouncing around in my head for well over a decade, but it took the disruptions of COVID and the extra bandwidth that this change of pace provided for me to get out and actually try it. I was also inspired by the way our parks were suddenly so animated, they became a kind of alternate living room for people, who by necessity were taking so much of their social lives outside and using parks in much more diverse ways.
Given that your work happens in public spaces, has anyone ever given you trouble for it? Or do most people respond positively?
No trouble so far! I had no idea what to expect at first, but the feedback has been surprisingly positive. I typically start at first light, since my preference is for people to discover the designs without knowing how or when they got there, but of course we have plenty of early risers walking dogs, running, etc. so I’ve had a lot of interactions with folks, some curious and looking for an explanation, but most just wanting to share the stoke or words of encouragement. I once got a round of applause from a ladies walking group, I’ve even had a few “bless your heart”s which I have to say is an unexpected treat coming from a perfect stranger in Vancouver. I was also approached just recently by a caregiver to a person in an apartment overlooking one of my favourite spots, they wanted to let me know how much pleasure the person in their care took in this brief transformation of their daily view. These warm human connections were totally unanticipated and have added such a positive dimension to the project.
How important is it to capture photos of your work before it’s gone? Or is the temporary nature part of it?
This process has been an excellent object lesson in impermanence for sure, (some designs that are done in the morning are gone by noon), which is good, I think that if they weren’t so ephemeral I would be much more self-conscious about imposing them on public space, I doubt I would do them at all. I think the photographs are a way of having it both ways.
What’s a project you would do with unlimited resources or time?
So many ideas, but one would be to build a series of long-distance off-road walking/cycling routes through wild country with excellent campsites at about 10km intervals.
