/Volumes/quaad/Users/pommer/Dropbox/%20%20WORK/WEB/3xland/pages/project.html Mill Creek Galt | The Project

 

Channelled Buried Moved Lost

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This outdoor installation was commissioned by Cambridge Galleries as part of Common Ground in Cambridge, Ontario. Channelled Buried Moved Lost: Where Did Mill Creek Go? is a site-specific installation that encompasses ten locations across Cambridge, mapping the historic journey of Galt’s phantom Mill Creek in celebration of its profound visual and cultural heritage. This ten-point walk is paired with a website, that showcases archival maps and photographs of the lost creek, its ponds, and bridges.

The intersection of Mill Creek and Main Street sparked our curiosity, as the rushing waters that form the backbone of major green spaces plunged without celebration into a giant concrete culvert, disappearing underground. After tracing the creek through archival maps, we discovered its true paths and its pivotal importance to the history of Galt: The intersection of Mill Creek and the Grand River is the reason that Galt was founded at this spot in 1816. How could such an important piece of natural infrastructure disappear visually and culturally? How long does it take to forget?

To reveal the history of Mill Creek, we created a walk-cum-installation that takes visitors on a journey through downtown Galt, complete with clues that map the lost creek’s path from the point it is buried at Main and Wellington, as it travels to the Grand. Our hope is that by creating a physical tracing of memory, in conjunction with the web archive, we will help the people of Cambridge rediscover and rebuild a piece of their history – one that has only recently faded away.

The temporary exhibition came to an end in the Spring of 2013, with the removal of (most of) the location circles from the sidewalks. You can find a record of the installation below.



View of Site Two

Site Two



View of Site Four

Site Four


View of Site Five

(Half of) Site Five


View of Site Seven

Site Seven


View of Site Ten

Site Ten




Volunteers helping with stencil assembly

Preparation of the stencils for installation


Stencilling Site 4

View of the installation process


View of Site One

Removing the first big stencil


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Installation at Site Four


View of Site Seven from the culvert

Site Seven from the inside


A dot at Site Eight

Site Eight before text application


This outdoor installation is part of 3ByLAND, an exhibition that includes an in-gallery exhibit about walking.



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The Introductory Panel



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Visitors to the exhibition



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Reading the film strips



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