“Hate to Hope” Embracing Diversity in Britannia's New Mural

By: Ella Tsang (12)

“Hate to Hope” Mural at the Britannia Ice Rink, (2023) - credit: Rémi Yuan via paigejung.com

When walking through the Britannia community, public art is always in sight. From the grounds to the walls, the splashes of colour and vibrance provide a chance for local artists to showcase their talents. Each piece and mural has a unique backstory, making Britannia even more diverse within its community.

The newest addition to Britannia’s murals has its own important backstory. “Hate to Hope”, painted by Paige Jung, Malena Mokhovikova, and the Britannia youth, illustrates the importance of a diverse and tight-knit community. The mural embodies collective transformation, and is a celebration of a unified and resilient community. The Bruin Bulletin had the chance to interview Jung and Mokhovikova, who were both very passionate about the process and backstory of their mural.

How did you reach out to Malena? Have either of you done mural painting before?

Paige: I was originally contacted by the BC’s Office of Human Rights Commissioner and the Vancouver Mural Festival to see if I wanted to take part in this mural project. I have painted murals around the city before, but was excited to embark on a project that collaborated with the community more. They put me in touch with Malena, a former graduate of Britannia Secondary School, to support me with painting the mural and organising the youth painting volunteers. I’m so glad to have Malena there, supporting the students and the project, as her passion and connection to the youth really made a difference!

What was the process like from the conception to the completion of this artwork? Were there any challenges you had to overcome during the process of painting this mural, and how did you overcome those challenges?

Paige: First off, we wanted to consult the youth about their ideas for the mural design. Malena took charge of brainstorming the concept with the youth. Afterwards, I drew up on the mural design concept based on the feedback and ideas I got from the youth and Malena. After the design was approved, we moved to production. I sketched out the mural design on the wall for the first two days, then Malena and youth volunteers came to help fill in the sketch with paint the following days. It took us about a week to finish painting. I would say there weren’t any major challenges that appeared during the process. It was a very smooth week, and we had a lot of youth eager to volunteer!

Malena: The process fascinated me as someone who enjoys making and seeing art but with no prior mural painting experience. Paige was the powerhouse of this project and taught me and the Britannia Youth so much over that week. I enjoyed learning about the scaling of the artwork and how to adapt the initial draft to a large format. Working with the weather was a challenge that stood out to me - as Vancouver greeted us with chilly mornings and humid afternoons, it was interesting to see how much faster or slower the paint dried, which motivated us to approach the process differently every day. I'm grateful to say that Paige coached me through every challenge I faced; thanks to her, it is an experience I will carry with me for the rest of my creative career. 

How did the community or surroundings influence the design of the mural? What does it mean to you to contribute your art to the local community? How do you hope the mural will impact the local community?

Malena: After our meeting with the youth from Brit, Paige created a gorgeous draft based on the ideas pitched in that meeting - such as the importance of diversity, inclusivity, community, and growth. This was shown in the river and plants that flourished as the design went on, as well as with the imagery of stars and the community growing closer. Paige made every effort to include me in the creative process, which meant a lot to me and helped me feel like I was giving back to the community that made me into who I am today. Growing up on the Drive, I remembered every mural on my walk from home to school; it has always been a dream to contribute to the beautiful tapestry that makes our community so vibrant. Now, I got the gift of having that dream come true while reconnecting with the youth from Brit, many of whom I worked with or coached over the years, which only added to how meaningful this experience was. While painting, I also got to see my past and present mentors, teachers, and friends. I have so much love for East Van and hope this mural brightens others' day and makes the neighbourhood warmer, the way many others did for me growing up. Once a Bruin, always a Bruin!

Paige: I think it’s very important to know and acknowledge the community you’re serving and what land the mural is on. When I design a mural concept, it’s one of my top priorities to make sure the community feels seen and represented, whether that means visually in the design, or making sure their feedback and ideas are incorporated. It is an immense blessing to be able to contribute a mural in a community and is a true feeling of trust that I do not take for granted. We hope this mural will be a visual celebration of collective transformation, and will embody the community’s resiliency and togetherness in difficult times. We also hope that the youth involved can be reminded of their tremendous impact in their own community.

Paige Jung and Malena Mokhovikova - credit: Rémi Yuan via paigejung.com

“Hate to Hope” has demonstrated the importance of a community, bringing together a neighbourhood that has been through ups and downs. This mural has brought the Britannia community together through mural festivals and events, reiterating the impact of public and easily accessible art on a community.