Saskatoon

Elementary school students showcase art during Nuit Blanche

The annual night-time festival brings art and culture out galleries and into public spaces. The event takes place in Riversdale, the Broadway District and downtown.

Students from 4 elementary schools have been working on the project since January

Monique Martin and Sasha Perry pose with Perry's art which will be displayed during Nuit Blanche. (Jason Warick/CBC Saskatoon)

On Saturday night students from four Saskatoon elementary schools showcased their art around the Broadway neighbourhood as part of Nuit Blanche. 

For Monique Martin, an artist and teacher at Georges Vanier School, the public nature of the event was a perfect canvas for her and other students.

"I'm always interested in my student's art outside of the school building not just onto the bulletin board in the hallway but take it outside and share it with people," said Martin
Sasha Perry wanted her project to look like a stained glass window. (Jason Warick/CBC Saskatoon )

Her students from kindergarten to Grade 8 took part and created their own art, from sculptures made from recycled items to dance or performance pieces.

In fact, Martin found some headless mannequins from a Banana Republic store that were used by the students. What was done with them was inspired by sculptor and artist Nick Cave. She says she hopes the experience with different mediums will encourage students to look more critically and enjoy different forms of art.

"I think now if they see a Nick Cave piece they will have a better connection to it. Or they see a piece they don't understand they'll take the time to understand it because they've been exposed to things that aren't standard 2-D, in a rectangle in a frame," said Martin.

The event allows for several different styles of art and performance to be displayed, but linking them all is light. 

When art-loving Grade 8 student Sasha Perry heard about the project, she was excited to take part. Her project was lit from behind to look like a stained glass window and depicts a tipi and a night sky. 

Her project will be set up along the Broadway Bridge. 

This was Saskatoon's biggest Nuit Blanche yet. With 38 local artists and visiting participants from France, New York City and across Canada.

With files from Sask Weekend