Guerrilla art and public memory

The civic powers write -- sometimes in floral text -- messages welcoming you into the municipality. But what about the unofficial spaces? Those that were not named by the city, but named themselves? The municipalities within municipalities? The lost 'hoods? The ghost ways?

This July, if you're in the vicinity of the green space near the Georgia Viaduct, at 200-block Union Street -- the old site of Hogan's Alley -- check out Lauren Marsden's installation, lovingly planted with support from HAMP and friends.

Lauren Marsden, fourth from the right.

"Hogan's Alley Welcomes You"

Remembering Hogan's Alley and the Black Urban Landscape: 24 Feb. 2007

For Black History Month in February 2007, the Hogan's Alley Memorial Project, with the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, hosted an evening of speakers and music on black urbanism. David Hilliard, former Chief of Staff of the Black Panther Party, discussed the history of the movement in Oakland, California. Afua Cooper presented a historical and critical analysis of the demolition and memorialization of Africville, Nova Scotia. Ndidi Cascade and Deanna Teeple provided the beats and rhymes. HAMP members brought words and images charting, as always, Vancouver's own black history and community.


Photo (l to r): Wayde Compton, Naomi Moyer, Karina Vernon, Sheilagh Cahill, Ndidi Cascade, David Hilliard, Deanna Teeple, Afua Cooper and Junie Desil.

Karina and David

Karina Vernon and David Hilliard.

In the VECC auditorium and lobby

Book Table

Sheilagh Cahill running HAMP's book table.

Meegan and David

Meegan Maultsaid, who programmed the event from the Cultch end of things, with Hilliard.

On Lok

After party at On Lok on East Hastings. In the photo: Afua Cooper, David Hilliard and Naomi Moyer.