Alberta Old Buildings With AR Experiences – Artist Statement

• How do you view Alberta’s Old Buildings?
• Have you ever thought about the importance of heritage preservation?

As a 1st generation immigrant who moved to Canada from Hong Kong in 2007. Alberta is not only my new homeland but also a new space for me to grow, explore and discover my painting skills – a new way for me to express my thought & emotions. In spite of the stunning majestic Rocky mountains and vast sky, I was intrigued by the various rustic style buildings to stand alone in harmony with the surrounding environment. Compared with Alberta my hometown Hong Kong’s hustle and bustle and more than 7,800 high-rises that soar above all. Alberta’s historical buildings are like still water, representing the peace and harmony that I am yearning for.

Alberta Old buildings have been witness to the transformation of our society for more than a century, they are not only landmarks but also like a living record to capture Alberta culture, craftsmanship, architecture, and knowledge. This project turns Alberta Old buildings into modern impressionist paintings and creates a portal to connect the Past (Alberta Old buildings), Present (My paintings), and Future (you & public) that can emphasize the importance of protecting & preserving the beauty of Alberta heritage & arts.

During the 2022 Alberta Artist-In-Residence, I travelled over 3600km to research and meetup with the 10 Alberta Old Buildings’ owners, directors, curators, staff, and volunteers allow me to better understand each building’s existing structure, history, and story to enrich the creation of 10 bold impressionist paintings, and research photos would be converted to 15 to 20 mins video for the documentary.

Selected historical buildings across Alberta from hamlet to cities, including hotels, dwelling residences, government buildings, museums, railway station, and heritage sites that represent Alberta’s local history and display various architectural styles. Each bold impressionist painting are 24 x 24 x 2 (inches) will be named by the city or village name and the building name, with a short description and photograph displayed during the exhibition. It will allow the public to connect the painting between community, art, and heritage.

In 2023, I accommodated a technology Augmented Reality (AR) into my Alberta Old Building paintings, unveiling my creative process video clips by simply scanning my painting with the free downloadable app – Artivive. A new way to combine Art, heritage & technology to highlight the beauty of Alberta Old Buildings.