Creating a guerilla art movement while also installing pieces around one of Canada’s most visited ski hills might seem like an oil and water combination. Revelstoke Outdoor Art Movement’s (ROAM) team finds it all part of the draw for an art project that’s showcasing artists throughout Revelstoke Mountain Resort.
Getting ready for their third year, ROAM has partnered with Revelstoke Mountain Resort since day one to set up a gallery of artwork not labeled on any map or marked by any signage. The purpose is for visitors to stumble upon the pieces while going about their routes and for locations to travel by word-of-mouth.
“You see the traffic patterns change,” Rob Buchanan with ROAM told Revelstoke Mountaineer when asked if the ROAM team notices the growing awareness around the pieces as they tend to them throughout the season. “It’s really cool to see the word of mouth spread and who finds the pieces and how.”
One of ROAM’s goals is to become the largest ski-through art gallery, a fun way to explain the goal driving the collection of local artists.
“What if this wasn’t just a ski resort? What if we could use this space to incubate and highlight some of the artists in Revelstoke?”
It’s just one more way Revelstoke’s artists are putting themselves out to an international community that might have originally come for the snow but are now seeking out the town’s art offerings.
“Tourists will say that, ‘Revelstoke, it’s a great ski place.’ But now they’re also saying, ‘it has a really up and coming contemporary art scene’.”
ROAM is eager to expand the unique opportunity for artists into all seasons of Revelstoke’s outdoor activities and take a chance to partner with other organizations in town. The hold up currently is capacity, Buchanan said.
“We’re dedicating ourselves to really polishing our core offer, which is the ski hill.” Buchanan said. “After that, we’d love to explore all these other places.”
Future goals include working with the snowmobiling community, the mountain biking community and the paddling community to name a few. Buchanan said that ROAM wants to make sure the art they can provide blends with the aesthetic values of each unique site and season. That means matching new or returning artists and mediums with the right places.
Some of Revelstoke’s mountain biking community and visitors have already experienced some of ROAM’s offerings, with pieces initially installed on the hill for winter staying for the summer season. Winter riding allows guests to find their own trails and stumble upon the ROAM pieces, while summer biking and hiking means only some ROAM pieces close to paths have been found over the summer.
This winter, Buchanan is excited to partner with local classrooms and bring them around the resort to find some of the ROAM pieces, an opportunity he got last year with a Grade 3 and Grade 6 class from Arrow Heights Elementary.
“What a unique juxtaposition to have kids taking ski lessons and learning about skiing. At the same time, we were skiing past a recreation of Edward Munch’s The Scream.”
Those who have already found some or even all of the art installations from last year will have a fresh challenge this year, with new pieces installed on the hill and in new locations.
“It will be a whole new offering of fun things to go and explore,” Buchanan said. He hopes new and returning explorers appreciate the spirit of ROAM and its guerilla art-scene tactics, and come away with new favourite local artists.
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