Watz Our Sygn
July 14 – September 16, 2007
Opening reception Saturday, July 14, 3 - 5 p.m.
An outdoor community artwork led by artist Lorraine Cleary Dale, working with young public artists Joy Liu, Egle Marcoqliese, Christopher Peterson, Jonathan Rodriguez and Victoria Shifflet over an 8-week period to design and plan the banners and wall colors. Cleary Dale is the Director of Professional Development at the Armory and has been a master art teacher in Armory programs for children and teens. Watz Our Sygn is a temporary public art project uniting banners and background painting to create a sculptural canopy of cultural symbols. The work consists of 33 large nylon banners, printed with graphical symbols from Northwest Pasadena’s diverse cultures, and hung on flagpoles mounted on Armory Northwest’s exterior wall. Thirty-three symbols from historic and contemporary cultures in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Central, South and North America are represented in fragmented silhouettes. The community of culture banners unites over a painted field of teal and orange, referencing Californian culture, sky and earth.

According to team member Jonathan Rodriguez, “Public art is a great way for me to show my creativity but also to contribute to the community. This is my first time working on this kind of project, working with a team of people who all had different views of art. It was an amazing collaboration and I can’t wait to see the community’s reaction.”

This project is the first in a series of planned community art works organized by the Armory. The current project was developed by Armory Exhibitions Manager Helen Lessick. The intention of the series is to engage and address diverse audiences and communities in Northwest Pasadena through the work and thinking of contemporary artists. This project is made possible by a grant from the Annenberg Foundation. The public art project is visible day and night and viewing is free.