Dude Chilling Park

Dude Chilling Park
Public art installation
Sign installation at the west end of Guelph Park
Sign installation at the west end of Guelph Park
DesignViktor Briestensky
ConstructedNovember 2012
AddressBrunswick Street
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Dude Chilling Park is located in Vancouver (British Columbia)
Map credit
Dude Chilling Park
Dude Chilling Park
Location in Vancouver
Coordinates: 49°15′50″N 123°05′45″W / 49.2640118°N 123.095931°W / 49.2640118; -123.095931

Dude Chilling Park is an artwork created by the Canadian artist Viktor Briestensky, which now has official public art status in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the southwest corner of Guelph Park at the 2300 block of Brunswick Street in the Mount Pleasant area of the city. It references the park's sculpture "Reclining Figure".

History

In November 2012, the sign was created by then Vancouver-based artist Viktor Briestensky, as a light-hearted reference to "Reclining Figure", a public art piece by Michael Dennis installed in Guelph Park in 1991. Inspired by Dennis's sculpture, local visitors to the park, including Briestensky, had taken to referring to it, in the generational vernacular, as "Dude Chilling Park". Part of the artwork's meaning therefore has to do with how the identities of urban places are shaped by their users.Vancouver Park Board staff quickly removed the sign, but local resident Dustin Bromley launched an online petition to reinstall the sign. After more than 1,800 signatures of support, the Parks Board decided to reinstall the sign permanently on February 27, 2014, because it celebrates the unique characteristics of the park and the neighbouring community. In September 2014, the installation was stolen but has since been replaced.

In July 2023, Dude Chilling Park was used to collect donations for residents that had been displaced in a fire.

International attention for Dude Chilling Park included American late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel who said "Between Dude Chilling Park and Mayor Ford, I might have to move to Canada." R&B Brewing, a local brewery, created "Dude Chilling Pale Ale" in their year-round line-up as a tribute.[citation needed]

The Vancouver Park Board donated a "Barge Chilling Beach" sign that was installed at Sunset Beach, where a wayward barge had been grounded following the November 2021 floods. The sign was later painted over with Í7iy̓el̓shn ("ee-ay-ul-shun"),[needs IPA] the name of the beach in the Squamish language, in graffiti. The Park Board removed the sign in late January 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Meiszner, Peter (February 26, 2014). "Dude Chilling Park sign to be installed tomorrow - BC". Global News. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  2. ↑ Colebourn, John (February 28, 2014). "Parks Board's now chill to call it Dude Chilling Park (with video)". The Province. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Dude Chilling Park sign gets official public art status". CBC News. February 4, 2014. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  4. ↑ Judd, Amy (February 28, 2014). "Dude Chilling Park sign causing some residents to lose their cool". Global News. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Vancouver's Dude Chilling Park sign goes missing, again". CBC News British Columbia. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. August 31, 2014. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  6. ↑ Crawford, Tiffany (July 29, 2023). "Vancouver's Mount Pleasant community rallies to help victims of apartment fire". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  7. ↑ OfficialVCB (February 6, 2014). "Jimmy Kimmel on Vancouver's Dude Chilling Park sign". Youtube. Archived from the original on February 6, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  8. ↑ Ip, Stephanie (December 15, 2021). "'Barge Chilling Beach' sign installed as park board gift to Vancouver". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Artists waiting for Indigenous place names question quick approval of Barge Chilling Beach sign". CBC News. January 4, 2022. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  10. ↑ Chan, Cheryl (January 21, 2022). "The sign that launched millions of selfies - Barge Chilling Beach - is now just a memory". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved August 1, 2022.