Last year, Tyler Lemermeyer joined the CHROMA team at Southcentre Mall to create two new murals. The first was known as “Practically Passion” — an exploration of patterns and layers that celebrated the warmth of summer in beautiful shades of pink and purple. The second piece was named “Aura” because of the intense colours and shapes that radiated from the centre of the mural. Lemermeyer was also the artist behind the infamous lego wall at #CHROMAYYC and we’re happy to announce that he’s at it again, but this time with a more festive approach. Keep reading to learn more about Lemermeyer’s latest creation at #CHROMAYEG in Kingsway Mall.

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON SINCE #CHROMAYYC?

I’ve been working on murals for Deerfoot City and TELUS Spark, illustrations for a brand in Vancouver, and animation for a hospital in New York City. I also had a great opportunity this year to work as an influencer in France. Explore France reached out to me to work on a campaign called “Draw Me France” which aimed to portray the country through the eyes of an artist.

IN YOUR OPINION, HOW DOES FRANCE’S CREATIVE CULTURE COMPARE TO ALBERTA’S?

I don’t think you can really compare the two. There is so much history in France, it has a very strong visual language compared to Alberta. People are so much more accepting and appreciative of the creative culture in France, but as an artist who lives and works in Alberta, I am seeing the culture and genuine interest increasing here. It’s exciting, it’s kind of like Calgary is going through a renaissance. Projects like YYC Bump are putting art on the streets, in the public sphere so people can appreciate it without having to go to an art gallery or have an arts degree to feel like they “get art”. The more accessible art is, the more interested people become. It starts a conversation and opens peoples’ minds to appreciating the culture we have here.

AS WE WERE WORKING ON THE INSTALL OF #CHROMAYEG, PEOPLE KEPT STOPPING TO ASK WHAT IT WAS. HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN IT?

CHROMA uses art to activate commercial spaces for the purpose of making art more accessible to the public, to get the public to engage with art, and to promote public art via social media. The idea for my installation, Knit Brick, was to create an ode to a knitted Christmas sweater using different patterns. The lego created a pixelated, cross-stitch pattern that I think translates very well, there is a chevron pattern running throughout the installation, and I also created design points to attract people to the centre of the piece. The playful yet neutral colour palette is a more subtle, modern take on the holidays while the 3D shapes inside create a more interactive, classic Christmas scene. The floor decals are extensions of the patterns on the walls that spill out so people feel more immersed in a photographic space.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT WORKING ON LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS? IS THE SCALE EVER INTIMIDATING?

I love the impact a larger surface makes and the impact it has on people. You can view it from far away, from so many different angles, and it completely immerses you when you are close up. It is intimidating to work on larger scales but it comes with the territory. Mistakes are much more noticeable and if people don't care for it than it's much more offensive to them. I try not to carry any strong political messages in my work for that reason. I would hate for my work to be taken in a negative sense or to isolate a particular demographic.

WHAT PROJECTS OR ARTISTIC GOALS DO YOU HAVE LINED UP FOR 2020?

I am definitely a bit of a chameleon when it comes to my practice. I’m always excited to pursue new challenges in new mediums. Painting murals has been at the top of the list for the last two years, and I’m very proud of all the opportunities I’ve had this year. I want to keep painting more murals on larger and larger scales. I definitely want to travel for more tourism-related work and international work. Going to France was a real game-changer for me. It’s so much older and different than Calgary, and even Canada. Experiencing a different culture was really inspiring and creatively motivating — it was like looking at everything through fresh eyes.