
About Interchange
Interchange is a collection of fabricated railroad spikes that are arranged to be a gateway into Weston Park.
The abandoned Pacific Great Eastern Railway previously existed near the foot of 22nd Street. This location is now part of the Centennial Seawalk. Weston Park had previously served as “Weston Station”, a stop for a commuter passenger service between Lonsdale Avenue and Whytecliff in 1914. The station had seen daily use until 1928, when service disconnected.
The public artwork is comprised of five aluminum post-like sculptures, each resembling the shape of an elongated railway spike.
The five “spikes” are placed on either side of the entryway to Weston Park’s upper seating area. There are two sculptures on one side of the path and three on the other side, as if they are in dialogue with one another and their surroundings.
The shape of the sculptures takes their inspiration from the specific railway spikes used in the Pacific Great Eastern Railway track that runs along the lower portion of Weston park by the water’s edge. From the railway tracks and from the seawall, visitors can look toward the top of the park and see the public artwork, thereby connecting the upper and lower areas of Weston Park.
Interchange is an installation reminiscent of a gateway between old and new, a grove of trees, or a group in dialogue. The artists aim to connect the community with the history of Weston Station.
About the artists
Ellie Niakan and Catherine Chan are an artist duo based out of BC and Ontario. They have collaborated on public art projects since 2018.
Catherine Chan
Catherine Chan is a transdisciplinary artist exploring social and ecological changes to humans on geologic timescales. Through research-creation, she investigates human connections with the ‘more-than-human’ and the responsibility we hold in these relationships.
In her practice, she considers climate change, ongoing legacies of the colonial expansion in Canada, and the consequent fracturing of land and bodies. Working primarily in installation and photography, Catherine uses narrative approaches to visualize philosophies of repair, reciprocity, and care.
Catherine holds an MFA (Studio Art), BFA (Photography), MSc (Soil Science), and BSc (Biogeography).
Ellie Niakan
Ellie Niakan is an artist and certified lighting designer based out of New Westminster, BC who is internationally recognized for her award-winning lighting design. She trained in Interior Architecture at the University of Applied Science in Germany. Through her passion and creativity, Ellie harnesses the power of light to create expressive designs that blend aesthetics and function.
Ellie is the first in Canada to have earned the International Lighting Designer Certification and is among a select few worldwide that have achieved the distinction of Certified Lighting Designer (CLD). Ellie has led and worked corroboratively on a variety of projects, including public art, cultural, recreational, residential, commercial, and urban lighting design. Having worked closely with international architects and designers across the globe, her expansive portfolio includes work in Germany, England, USA, and Canada.