Raising Reflections
Community Performance & Installation 
​IN COLLABORATION WITH Jeff Meldrum & the Wreck City artist Residency
Calgary, ALBERTA, Canada
2018

​No longer will you have to crane your necks to gaze into the sky. ​

An installation and participatory, public performance, in collaboration with Jeff Meldrum, and enacted as part of the Wreck City Artist Residency, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 

On July 15th, 2018, Amber PB and Jeff M staged an ol’ timey mirror raising, with the help of many hands, a large wooden ramp, reflective megaphones and matching mirror vests. ​

With the help of many hands, a 4 x 8 foot mirror was hoisted onto a garage roof in Calgary. The roof was located at House City, a residential building slated for demolition, and the temporary residence and gathering place for 23 artists participating in Wreck City, a Calgary-based public art project and Artist Residency. ​

 

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A wooden structure, and corresponding pulley system was constructed to enable smooth hoisting of the mirror by a group of participating community members (aided by a strong and sturdy rope.) The Mirror Raising performance occurred after a pancake breakfast, hosted by Wreck City Artists. (To ensure that participating hoisters were well fed, and performing at optimum strength!) 

This coordinated community act included matching mirror vests, silver mega phones, and a spaghetti western inspired soundtrack. 

Photo Credits: Mike Tan

The mirror remained on the roof of the garage until it was demolished, later in the year. A re-imagined version of the installation was installed in a second location, "Office City" during public presentation of the work. This second installation included time lapse video documentation of the mirror at dawn and dusk ("Mirror Cam") allowing visitors to catch a glimpse of the sky above House City - the site that many Wreck City artists called home over the course of their residency.