Kris Friesen
Galleries
Famous 5 Finished Artwork
Mural Unveiling
Famous 5 Mural in Progress
This mural was part of the Giants of Edmonton; a partnership between Capital City Clean Up, Ched Radio, and the public where radio listeners recommend and vote for outstanding Edmonton people, places, or things as subjects for the murals. The Famous 5: Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, Emily Murphy, Nellie Mclung, and Irene Parlby were chosen by the public for their fight to have women legally considered as “persons” in 1929.
When I first started researching the famous five I could not believe that women were not considered persons in this country until 1929, less than a hundred years ago. While these women were far from perfect as individuals, and two of them had despicable racial views, when united together they permanently improved the rights of all women in this country.
This project was a great challenge: how to visually show the famous five and different movements for women's rights? After sketching scenes such as the 5 in court with composition and lighting borrowed from Gladiator paintings, I decided the answer was a giant single page comic book. Reading from left to right and forward in time the 5 serve as borders in between background panels.
Starting on the left Henrietta Muir Edwards opens with a scene depicting women's suffrage, or the right of women to vote, with a single woman standing defiantly in an all male background. Louise McKinney then moves us forward in time to outside the British court houses in London where Lord Sankey and his entourage deliver the verdict that women are indeed persons. Emily Murphy introduces us to the movement for both men and women to have equal pay. Nellie Mclung shows the final scene of an International women's day parade set in the 1970's, which I must say, was alot of fun to paint with interesting characters and paisley. And finally Irene Parlby closes the picture.
New mural pays tribute to Famous Five A new mural in downtown Edmonton pays tribute to the Famous Five, the activists who played a key role in having women declared "persons" under Canadian law in 1929.
Nellie McClung, Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards are depicted in the work by Edmonton artist Kris Friesen, which is painted on the side of the Melcor parkade at 100th Avenue and 102nd Street.
New mural celebrates Famous Five Jackie L. Larson QMI Agency Tuesday, July 3, 2012
David Bloom/QMI Agency Alberta Premier Alison Redford and Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel talk prior to taking part in a press conference where a 44 foot by 10 foot mural honouring five Albertans who fought for women's rights in Canada, was unveiled on the side of a parkade at 10027 - 102 Street Tuesday July 3.
The mural features portraits of Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Nellie McClung.
Blakeman was particularly proud of the mural, as Nellie McClung represented Edmonton-Centre, where she now serves.
Alberta Premier Alison Redford is paying tribute to the five women who helped blaze the trail for the rights of women in Canada.
Redford spoke at the unveiling in downtown Edmonton of a mural honouring Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, Henrietta Muir Edwards, and Nellie McClung.
Redford says that, like the Famous Five, women must strive not to just prove they can fill men’s shoes in public life, but also discover unique ways to better society.
The mural, on the side of a building, is a City of Edmonton project.
Each of them in their own way was involved in ways … where they brought a voice for people who didn’t have a voice.” The mural depicts portraits of Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Nellie McClung, separating scenes of the women’s rights movements from the early 1900s to the 1970s.
I think it’s quite fantastic that this group of people were able to come up with an idea to recognize these five amazing women who really changed the course of history in our country,” Mandel said.
Edmonton artist Kris Friesen called the project one giant comic book, and said he felt privileged to take part.
The mural is the eighth Giants of Edmonton project by Capital City Cleanup to deter graffiti.
The artist Kris Friesen at the official reveal of a Giants of Edmonton mural honouring five Albertans who altered the future for women in Canada.
The artist Kris Friesen finishing up his Giants of Edmonton mural honouring five Albertans who altered the future for women in Canada.
Premier Alison Redford speaks at the official reveal of a Giants of Edmonton mural by Kris Friesen honouring five Albertans who altered the future for women in Canada.
Famous Five Mural Main page content begins here by Kris Friesen, created 2012 Melcor Parkade10027 102 Street In the early 1900s, Emily Murphy, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Nellie McClung worked tirelessly to advance the rights of women.
Because of the efforts of these Alberta activists, a landmark legal decision in 1929 recognized women as persons under Canadian law.
The mural also includes images of women’s activism, from a picket for the right to vote in the early 1900s, to a 1970s celebration of International Women’s Day.
A mural of Canada’s Famous Five—Irene Parlby, Nellie McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Emily Murphy, and Louise McKinney—was unveiled in Edmonton last week as part of a program to discourage graffiti through wall art.
The mural is the eighth piece in the Giants of Edmonton series, which depicts those who have contributed to the local community.
“These women changed the course of history in Canada, so in our view, coming from Edmonton and being from here, it was really important that we recognize them as giants in our community,” says Sharon Chapman, graffiti project manager with Capital City Clean-up.
The innovative program was created to address concerns from communities that the amount of graffiti in Edmonton was “getting out of hand,” Chapman explains.
A homage to the “famous five” the mural depicts Emily Murphy, Nelly McClung, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Irene Parlby and Louise McKinney the five women who are behind the 1929 “persons” case, wherein Canada’s highest court, then the Privy Council in England, ruled that women are indeed persons and can thus sit in the senate.
The unveiling was attended by Premier Alison Redford, Mayor Stephen Mandel, LEAF Edmonton Chair, Jo-Anne Kolmes, former LEAF National Chair and current Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Studies, Pat Paradis, and current LEAF National Chair, Jennifer Tomaszewski, as well as many others
On July 3, 2012, a 44 foot by 10 foot mural created by Kris Friesen, was unveiled on the corner of 100 Avenue and 102 Street Edmonton to honour The Famous Five.
Despite their complex histories that either the public has chosen to overlook or does not know about––the Famous Five are still being celebrated. Then-premier Alison Redford along with other local female politicians including opposition Liberal leader Laurie Blakemen, trumpeted the mural’s powerful representation. Blakemen was quick however to point out hat despite holding the posts of premier, official opposition leader, house leaders for other parties, deputy chair of committees––women still have a long way to go. Therefore the Persons Case, the legacy of the Famous Five, are fresh in the minds of many Canadians.
Despite whatever personal foibles, as covered in the previous document, it is nonetheless important that this story is told, through artistic avenues and also educational values in our classrooms as well.
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