Spotlight on Jerry Evans' "Ktaqmkuk" Year of the Arts Mural

If you've driven or strolled around downtown St. John's recently, you likely noticed a bold and beautiful new mural along Harvey Road.

The piece, titled "Ktaqmkuk," by renowned local visual artist Jerry Evans is around 6.5 feet high and 135 feet long and is a huge and eye-catching celebration of the richness and diversity of the land and sea, while honouring Evans’s Mi’kmaw heritage.

It was unveiled as part of the province's Year of the Arts celebrations, with the City committing $16,400 towards the project, and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador providing $30,000 through the Year of the Arts 2024 Funding Program.

The design was printed on vinyl, which was adhered to aluminum panels, and installed on the retaining wall, similar to the neighbouring Come Home 2022 mural on Harvey Road created by artists Molly Margaret and Lily Taylor. The City of St. John's says it's a welcome addition to the neighbourhood and landscape.

“We are thrilled to share this beautiful new mural with the community,” said Councillor Sandy Hickman in a news release. “This artwork not only adds a vibrant and welcoming element to our streetscape, but it also serves as a lasting reflection of a timeless source of inspiration for artists in St. John’s and across Newfoundland and Labrador. I want to thank the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for supporting this new mural in celebration of the Year of the Arts.”

We recently caught up with Jerry to learn more about his vision, creative process, and the symbolism and meaning behind his design.

Jerry Evans stands alongside his mural, titled "Ktaqmkuk," at Harvey Road in downtown St. John’s.

Business & Arts NL: What was it like seeing your artwork for the first time at its new home on Harvey Road?

Jerry Evans: (Laughs) Well I mean, it's completely different, because I'm looking at this on a laptop screen, that's where we created it. And seeing it printed that big was quite jaw dropping, really, to be honest. I've always wanted to do a mural. I was very thankful and honoured to have been given this opportunity.

Business & Arts NL: I'd love to know a bit more about the various elements included in the mural. Can you share some more about the meaning behind these?

JE: (Referring to his artist statement): This mural celebrates the rich essence of our land and sea, offering a decolonized artistic expression that reflects the beauty and significance of this place we call Ktaqmkuk.

The mural showcases stylized representations of the Labrador tea and spruce trees on the west side of the mural, symbolizing the land; and the ocean on the east to represent sea. It is a tribute to the life-sustaining elements like the caribou (qalipu), salmon (plamu), the cod (peju’k), and the seals (waspu), which have nourished our ancestors for generations. Central to the mural is the kitpu or the eagle, serving as a guide and protector, carrying our prayers to the Creator. The depiction seamlessly combines Mi'kmaq traditional designs, including representations of flora, fauna and cultural motifs to emphasize our deep-rooted connection to this land and its waters.

The mural is designed to be appreciated both from a distance and also up close, with large identifying elements for those viewing from vehicles and intricate details for pedestrians to explore. Symbols echo traditional Mi'kmaq themes such as the 13 moons, celebrating solstices and the Creator's gifts, inviting viewers to delve deeper into its layers. As an affirmation of our enduring presence, the mural addresses a notable absence of visible Indigenous art within this region, joining recognized works of artists like Jordan Bennett and Melissa Tremblett. It stands as a public voice that celebrates our heritage, honouring our ancestors and acknowledging the resilience and cultural significance of the Mi'kmaq people in Ktaqmkuk. Through this artwork, we respect the land's history and its life-giving resources, spotlighting the ongoing relevance and strength of Indigenous culture, despite the trials of colonization.

I lived in St John's for over 40 years and there's been hardly any representation of Indigenous culture within the city...Jordan Bennett's mural up there by Rawlins Cross was probably the first significant public art piece by any Indigenous artist of this province.

Business & Arts NL: Regarding your piece, did what you end up with match what you initially envisioned?

JE: No (laughs). What I proposed and what I came up with were two completely different things...it completely changed.

You sit and you think, you ponder and you sketch, and you create. And then that's what happened...in the end, what seemed to be something daunting and difficult turned out to be quite Jerry and to my liking. It just evolved the way a lot of my artwork evolves. And I spoke to a lot of the same things that I have in the past and I think it was important to really put it out there, because not everybody gets to see artists' work. I'm sure some of the people who see that mural don't know who Jerry Evans is. New eyes get to see my work, which I'm quite thankful for.

Business & Arts NL: What do you hope viewers will take away from your piece?

JE: I hope that people can see that this place is not just a place of settlement of immigrants and Irish music and so on, but that this is a place that's sustained life and different cultures for millennia. And with climate change and everything that's happening today, it's very important for us to have a keen sense of our duty and stewardship to take care of mother earth and the land and the water and all the natural resources that mother earth gives us to live - the caribou, the fish, the flora and the fauna, everything.

I also want people to know that Indigenous people have always been here and are still here.