Polygon Gallery’s light display is more than you think…

Photography by Robert Stefanowicz

KEVIN SCHMIDT: RECKLESS

The blinking, multi-coloured LED lights on the exterior façade of The Polygon Gallery are a public artwork by BC artist Kevin Schmidt, titled Reckless. The lights are timed to a soundtrack composed by Schmidt, based on the 1984 album of the same name by Canadian singer-songwriter and former North Vancouver resident Bryan Adams. Schmidt’s soundtrack can be heard on the building’s outdoor speakers, or by tuning in to 87.8 on FM radio. This site-specific installation builds on Schmidt’s previous works that draw from the aesthetics of DIY creativity, such as EDM House (2014), where he covered a rural farm homestead with Christmas lights and synced them to his self-composed electronic dance music.

Kevin Schmidt (b. 1972, Ottawa, ON) lives and works in Kamloops and Vancouver. He recently had a major solo exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery (2018), and is represented by Catriona Jeffries, Vancouver.

Reckless is the second in a 10-year commissioning program of new public artworks installed at The Polygon Gallery in collaboration with the Burrard Arts Foundation. Founded in 2013, the Burrard Arts Foundation (BAF) is a registered nonprofit that aims to promote excellence in contemporary Canadian visual art, both through special projects that foster creativity in the public realm, and by supporting talented local and national artists.

Reckless will run daily from 4–11pm

Image: Kevin Schmidt, Reckless, 2018, LED light installation with sound, photo: Robert Stefanowicz