In May 2024, the University of Ottawa unveiled a new “Living Wall” - an idea that originated with the Office of Indigenous Affairs. The wall, located at the Faculty of Social Sciences, replaces the old green wall that had adorned the building for twelve years and had reached the end of its life. The new installation was developed by Livescape, a company that specializes in living walls for public and private spaces. It was designed to increase sustainability by saving water, reducing energy consumption, improving air quality and facilitating maintenance.
Indigenous artist Stephanie Tenasco transforms Living Wall
The visual artistry of Stephanie Tenasco truly sets this project apart. Tenasco, an Algonquin artist from the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation in Quebec, was hired by the Office of Indigenous Affairs. She approached the task with the same precision and cultural reverence that she brings to her renowned beadwork on jewellery, moccasins, and mittens. Stephanie, who lives with her family in her home community, is not just an artist; she is an educator and a passionate advocate for Indigenous language and craftsmanship.
Known for her commitment to preserving and revitalizing the Anishinàbemowin language, Stephanie also helped develop a multi-platform application that offers audio and written forms of the Algonquin language, in collaboration with an application developer and a community effort involving her mother. “I also use short YouTube videos that I record, edit and post, showing puppets who speak English and Anishinàbemowin,” she explains, describing her innovative approach to education.
Cultural significance of Living Wall’s design elements
The floral design of the wall is meant to resemble the beaded floral work Indigenous artists create. “Depending on your area of origin, the Indigenous people of that territory may use beadwork patterns that are relevant to that place or from their teachings,” Stephanie explains. “Odeyimin”, the strawberry, is shaped like a heart and is known as the heart berry in Indigenous cultures. “The artwork represents the hearts connected within the community and new beginnings,” says Stephanie.
“The artwork represents the hearts connected within the community and new beginnings.”
Stephanie Tenasco
— Algonquin artist, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, First Nation in Quebec
Stephanie’s design process began on paper by conceptualizing the vertical canvas of the six-story, 77-foot wall that would eventually feature over 8,200 plants.
“I went about designing the vertical plant wall in the same way I would design a mukluk. When I create beadwork, I usually draw out a design first,” she says. “I approached it as though I was designing the front of a mukluk, looking up from the toe to the ankle,” she says. The final design is rich in floral patterns and her signature strawberry motif.
Stephanie’s work on uOttawa’s the Living Wall blends her cultural heritage with public art. Her contributions not only enhance the University’s environment, but also bring Indigenous art and language into a broader public space.