Hundreds of orange hand prints now adorn a painted-over pride mural which was destroyed by an act of vandalism in early July. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

impact statement

Vandalized Nanaimo pride mural transformed into sombre tribute to Indigenous children

Jul 20, 2021 | 5:24 AM

NANAIMO — A destroyed public art piece once showcasing love, support and pride now has a new purpose.

After a mural was destroyed by a ‘hate-fueled’ vandal in the early morning hours of Saturday, July 3, the artists who created the piece painted over the graffiti and in doing so, the original artwork.

Artist Lauren Semple worked on the original mural and said the prominent spot opposite City Hall offered an opportunity to make a powerful statement of support to another community.

“We felt the space would be really well used to pay tribute and in honour of the confirmations of lost Indigenous children to the residential school system. It’s a visual statement that every child matters and done in a way to impress upon those who see it the sheer scope of the issue.”

The hundreds of orange handprints which now adorn the black wall represent the remains of Indigenous children found at former residential school sites.

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Semple and her friends didn’t aim for a particular number of handprints.

She said there was “no chance” they could get close to the actual number of children “who didn’t get to go home”.

Hundreds of hands cover an approximately 30 metre long building on Wallace St., in recognition of Indigenous children who died in Canada’s residential school system. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

With the original location of Nanaimo’s only mural devoted to 2SLGBTQ+ pride gone, focus turns to a new, more permanent location for a community art project.

An online fundraiser quickly reached a $5,000 goal for supplies to create a new, permanent art piece somewhere in the city.

“We’re asking around to see which walls are available, what businesses or building owners may be looking to support this project. We will take a look based on what our options are and the budget that we do have and find something that is permanent…and super accessible.”

Semple said once a location is found, they’ll engage the community to help paint the new mural.

She added a portion of the budget will go towards a “very good protective coating” to deter vandals in the future.

Nanaimo RCMP are yet to announce any arrests in connection to the vandalism in early July, but did identify a person of interest.

A man in his mid-30’s with short brown hair and was in the Bastion St./Commercial St. intersection around 3 or 4 a.m. and is believed to have spread paint on the rainbow crosswalk and the pride mural.

Police believe the man in this picture is responsible for defacing a rainbow crosswalk in downtown Nanaimo. (Nanaimo RCMP)

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alex.rawnsley@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley