Leila Armstrong: Backyard Wilderness

Artist's Statement: There is a disconnect between people’s everyday lived experience and their conception of nature as something external and removed. This leads to a concern that we will have no inclination for protecting the biodiversity with which we engage every day. Given that 81% of Canadians reside it urban centres (Statistics Canada, 2011), it is important to understand how city dwellers define and interact with urban wildlife and wilderness.Through an investigation into the urban ecology of Lethbridge, my aim is to challenge people to rethink their conceptions of nature as detached from our daily lives. One of the intended outcomes of my research is to increase awareness of, and the need for, engagement with urban ecologies as spaces in which humans and other species must live and thrive together.

Backyard Wilderness, a public billboard art project by Leila Armstrong.

Backyard Wilderness will appear on 6 billboards throughout Lethbridge from September 9 – October 6, 2019.

South Lethbridge:

4 Avenue South and 4 Street South

13 Street South and 2 Avenue South

Mayor Magrath Drive South and 5 Avenue South

North Lethbridge:

Stafford Drive North and 5 Avenue North

13 Street North and 7 Avenue North

Mayor Magrath Drive North and 2 Avenue North

Backyard Wilderness, an exhibition by Leila Armstrong.

Backyard Wilderness will appear at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre Community Art Gallery from Tuesday, August 26 – Saturday, September 28, 2019.

Nature Centre's Location:
300 Indian Battle Road South
Lethbridge, Alberta

Backyard Wilderness, an exhibition of digital photography by Leila Armstrong.

Backyard Wilderness will appear on the indoor digital screen located in the lobby at Casa from September 7 - October 19, 2019.

Casa's Location:

230 8th Street, South
Lethbridge, Alberta

These projects are made possible through support from the City of Lethbridge Public Art Small Projects Program, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the Casa Artist Residency Program, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grants Program, the Canada Research Chairs Program, and PATTISON Outdoor Advertising.