Art animates Surrey Civic Plaza with the launch of UrbanScreen

The City of Surrey is excited to announce the launch of the newly relocated outdoor art venue UrbanScreen with the exhibition Nicolas Sassoon: Liquid Landscapes. UrbanScreen is an award-winning outdoor art venue operated and programmed by Surrey Art Gallery. Liquid Landscapes will be projected 30 minutes after sunset every evening at Surrey Civic Plaza until Feb. 16, 2025.

“Community spaces like Surrey Civic Plaza are the backbone of our neighbourhoods,” said the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan). “They bring together people of all ages and abilities and provide opportunities to spend time outdoors. PacifiCan is proud to support UrbanScreen and help communities like the City of Surrey enhance public spaces, showcase local talent, support businesses, and create memorable attractions for both residents and visitors to enjoy.”

“We are thrilled to bring UrbanScreen, an award winning digital interactive art experience, to City Centre,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “It’s addition to Civic Plaza is a perfect complement to one of the most popular gathering spots in Surrey. I would like to commend and thank the Surrey Art Gallery Association for its efforts in securing the funding that made this project possible. Additionally, I want to thank the federal government for their financial support, which has enabled us to bring this inspiring digital art experience to our community.”

Nicolas Sassoon’s Liquid Landscapes is a mesmerizing series of pixelated digital animations that captures the colours, motions, and shapes of seven different geographics sites around Surrey: Serpentine River, Redwood Park, Crescent Beach, Nicomekl River, Boundary Bay, Serpentine Fen, and the Fraser River.

Each of the seven animations will be displayed on a different night of the week, accompanied by audio responses created by local music producers and sound artists, including Yu Su (You’re Me), J.S. Aurelius (Ascetic House), Jean Brazeau, Scott Woodworth, Baby Blue (s.M.i.L.e), Venetta (NuZi Collective), and x/o.

Curated by Rhys Edwards, Assistant Curator at the Surrey Art Gallery, Liquid Landscapes celebrates the geographic diversity throughout Surrey and challenges us to think about our complicated relationship with nature and technology. An essay about Liquid Landscapes in the “Surrey Art Gallery Presents” publication series is available free for download on the Surrey Art Gallery’s website.

UrbanScreen showcases innovative, site-specific, digital art made by artists from around the Lower Mainland and further afield. For over a decade, it has presented innovative, award-winning programming to commuters from across the Lower Mainland as well as audiences local to Surrey. The next exhibition, Vavara & Mar: We Are the Clouds, will open on Feb. 27, 2025. This interactive exhibit invites visitors to engage with a virtual "community of clouds" through kiosks, creating a unique and immersive experience for all who visit.

The relocation of UrbanScreen was made possible through PacifiCan, Surrey Public Art, and Surrey Art Gallery Association.

For more information visit: surrey.ca/urbanscreen