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see you there // meet me here: echoes of eau claire
Curated by Jessica Szeto
Featuring
Brady Fullerton, Danny Luong
and Stephen Chan
May 23 – July 12, 2025
One year after Eau Claire Market’s closure, see you there // meet me here: echoe of eau claire investigates the complicated emotions and memories surrounding what we may be losing or gaining with the demolition of this iconic mall.
Through installations and found objects, as well as still images, video work, and audio captured in the final weeks before the mall's official closure in May 2024, this exhibition showcases the mall during the last few moments of its 30-year life.
Throughout its history, the mall struggled with its identity, and underwent varying states of growth, decline, and uncertainty. Even now, in its death throes, the demolition site remains in a state of ambiguity about its future.
Part of mourning is collective remembering.
Each person's experience of the mall was unique, often contextualized by when they visited the mall and what resonated with them at that time. In that spirit, this show also provides a space for visitors to formally document all these rich, nuanced memories, and add them to our exhibition. As a community, we can gather here and remember this mall, its artifice, and its relationship to our own personal histories.
How do we remember something that was never fully realized?
How do we collectively mourn an imperfect thing?
Documentation by Stefan Legisa
Sometimes, we unwittingly find ourselves acting as archeologists of our own lives. As we grow older, so grows our mental catalogue of all the people, places, things, and ideas that have gone extinct within our lifetime.
We unearth remnants of our past, and we can either choose to carelessly discard those memories, or to carefully preserve and treasure them.
Eau Claire Market was a strange place. What pieces of it are worth remembering? What should we forget?
As someone born and raised in Calgary, I have so many memories of Eau Claire Market during its 30-year lifespan.
A mall is a difficult object to remember, especially one that was as porous as Eau Claire Market. Its identity was always shifting, and the retailers and food establishments were constantly in flux. Depending on when you visited the mall, your memories of it will be radically different from other visitors from other eras.
In the 1980s, plans were announced to pave over historic bus barns, and redevelop this area as our version of Granville Island in Vancouver. There were setbacks and delays even during the construction phase, and ownership bounced from one financier to another.
The mall finally opened with great optimism on August 13, 1993. The 170,000 square foot building was built to house 125 stores, services, and entertainment venues. On the day it opened, it had 10 full-service restaurants, 60 stores, a fresh-food market with 40 stalls, 20 buskers, and a five-screen 1500 seat Cineplex Odeon. The IMAX theatre would open in September 1993, but then it would close down in 2004.
It's impossible to know all the retailers who passed through those doors. Entrepreneurs with big dreams were mostly left with only disappointment. But a few long-standing stores weathered the storms as best they could. Good Earth was the longest original tenant of the mall. The Garage lived there for 28 years, Son of the Pharaoh for 27 years, Sweet Surprise served candy for 25 years, a hairdresser worked there for 24 years, and Island Foods lasted 21 years.
I remember those early days of the mall. My grandparents would take me to a toy store called Who's Who in the Zoo, I'd get a balloon animal from one of the many roaming street performers, and then we’d eat at the Hard Rock Cafe.
But eventually, the crowds disappeared. Then the retailers. Then so did my grandparents.
By 1998, the debt of the market exceeded its value, so it was sold. Then it was sold again. By 2004, Harvard Developments bought the mall for $28 million and announced they were going to demolish and redevelop the mall.
But then the recession hit, and the project was cancelled.
In 2013, they announced another plan to demolish the mall and build five towers, 1000 residential units, 800,000 sq feet of office space, and 550,000 sq feet for retail space.
But again, it never happened.
In 2023, they announced they would be demolishing the mall to build mass transit, the Green Line. They officially closed the mall on May 31, 2024.
But yet again, this project has stalled, and is currently in a state of pessimistic uncertainty.
I can't help but imagine what this mall could've been in another life. What if we had actually believed and invested in transforming it, instead of always threatening to tear it down?
Maybe in a parallel universe it's still alive as a food hall, or an arts space, or a grocery store.
There's so many things the mall could've been, but wasn't.
There's so many times when its owners could've made different decisions, but didn't.
And now it's gone.
In a time when we could use more physical spaces to gather together in, we've demolished a place that was never fully realized.
We live in a city that loves to pave over our history and move on. But what if we fight the urge to forget, and force ourselves to remember this imperfect place?
Maybe we can dig through those co-mingling feelings of relief and dread, and find something to grasp onto amidst the rubble of all this wanton destruction. Maybe together, we can assemble the fuzzy edges of our memories into a story of this mall that makes sense.
So friends, gather here with me as we excavate this site together, one last time.
Let's walk hand-in-hand through empty, echoing corridors outlined with teal, purple, red, and lime. There’ll be sunlight streaming in through the atrium windows, and we’ll watch our shadows flicker across those bare concrete floors.
Eat a meal in the food court, stuff your pockets full of candy, and then we'll ride the escalator upstairs to soak up some darkness.
see you there
meet me here
eau claire market
| Jessica Szeto (she/her) is a multi-disciplinary artist, writer, and software developer born in and based in Mohkinsstsis/Calgary. Her interests are wide-ranging and diverse, but her work often explores the intersections between technology, colonialism, and personal history. She often collaborates with other local artists on a variety of digital and media projects. She has a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Calgary. Her written work has been shown at Lougheed House, Heritage Park, Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre, TRUCK Contemporary Art, and published in Yolkless Press’ Colonial Imports. Currently, she is part of Chromatic Theatre’s Playwrights Unit for the 2024/2025 season. Brady Fullerton (he/him) is a lens-based artist and academic whose work explores themes of trauma, masculinity, isolation, mental health, addiction, and beauty, through a visual exploration of the quotidian and mundane. He holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy and uses a photographic documentary style to approach philosophical questions through art, as well as navigate his mental health. His award-winning photographic work has been exhibited in solo exhibitions, group exhibitions, online, and in print. Currently, he is working on several projects including Nowhere, a lens-based exploration of trauma and memory in his hometown of Drumheller, Alberta. This work is generously funded by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. Danny Luong is an emerging photographer based in Mohkinstsis on traditional Treaty 7 land. Luong is interested in ancestral lineages and the effects of history on generations of migrants. With an emphasis on duality, Luong’s graphic style recalls both snapshots and gritty photojournalism from a mix of medium format, 35mm, and digital stills. Luong’s subjects emphasize the tribulations of generations, shared cultural values and the effects of displacement on first and second generation Canadian lives. Luong won an emerging photographer award at the Exposure Photo Festival in 2023. Luong has shown work with Art Toronto, Alberta Society of Artists, Arts Commons, Asian Heritage Foundation Calgary and was selected to be part of the Exposure Studio Collective. In 2024, Luong was a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts Project to Realization grant for work on a solo show at The Bows artist run centre in Calgary for 2025. Stephen Chan is a self-taught film photographer born and raised in Calgary. He graduated from the University of Calgary with a degree in Geomatics Engineering, which involves the collection, integration and analysis of geospatial data. Stephen takes inspiration from his engineering background to explore the metaphysical relationships between people and their constructed environments. Using elegant, formal compositions, he documents urban decay, architectural details, liminal spaces and typological comparisons. By capturing dynamic spaces in empty stillness, Stephen asks us to take a moment to observe how our surroundings evolve over time. Stephen’s photographic career began with the Emerging Photographers Showcase at the Exposure Photography Festival in 2022 and 2023. He was then featured in the Window Galleries at Arts Commons with the 2023 RBC Emerging Visual Artists Program, at multiple Alberta Society of Artists group shows in 2024, and the cover photo of Shutterhub’s “Night Moods” photobook. Stephen is the recipient of a grant from Calgary Arts Development to produce a photobook about Eau Claire Market titled “Eau Claire Nowhere”, due for release in late 2025. |
Press /
Last days of Calgary's Eau Claire Market chronicled in new multimedia exhibit an article covering see you there // meet me here: echoes of eau claire written by Amir Said for CBC. Published May 25, 2025.
CKUA’s Kate Stevens invites Szeto to chat about see you there meet me here: echoes of eau claire for CKUA Radio. Published May 22, 2025.
The last days of the Eau Claire Market an interview by Loren McGinniss, host of Calgary’s Eye Opener with Jessica Szeto, covering see you there // meet me here: echoes of eau claire for CBC. Published May 22, 2025.
去那裡見你 // 来這裡見我：歐克萊爾的回聲
2025年5月23日至7月12日
在歐克萊爾商場關閉一年之後，《去那裡見你 // 來這裡見我：歐克萊爾的回聲》探索了這座地標性商場被拆除過程中，我們可能失去或獲得的複雜情感與記憶。展覽通過裝置藝術與拾得物品，以及在商場於2024年5照片、影像與聲音資料，呈現了這座擁有30年歷史的商場在告別前的最後時刻。
在它的歷史中，這座商場始終在身份認同上掙紥，歷經成長、衰退與不確定的不同階段。即便在它生命的終點，拆除現場仍籠罩著對未來模糊不清的想像與未決。
有時候，哀悼也是一種集體的記憶方式。
每個人對這座商場的體驗都是獨特的，往往取決於他們是何時造訪、以及當時哪些事物觸動了他們。秉持這樣的精神，本展覽亦提供一個空間，讓觀眾能正式地書寫並留下這些豐富而細膩的回憶，成為展覽的一部分。作為一個社群，我們得以在此一同回顧這座商場、它的建構，以及它與我們個人故事之間的聯繫。
我們該如何記住一個從未真正實現過的事物？
我們又該如何集體緬懷一個不完美的存在？
策展人：Jessica Szeto
參展藝術家：Brady Fullerton、Danny Luong、Stephen Chan
有時，我們在不知不覺間，成了自己生命的考古學家。隨著年歲漸長，我們心中那座無形的記憶博物館也日漸擴張，收藏著在我們有生之年裡逐漸消逝的人、地方、事物與觀唸。
我們挖掘出過去的碎片，或許輕率地將它們拋棄，也可以選擇小心珍藏，細細品味。
歐克萊爾商場 是個奇異的存在。它有哪些部分值得我們銘記？又有哪些，應該被遺忘？
作為一個在卡爾加裡出生並長大的孩子，我對 歐克萊爾商場 在其 30 年的存在期間有着許多回憶。
一個商場，本就難以記住；更何況是像歐克萊爾商場這樣如此開放的空間——身份流動，形象模糊，商家與餐館更替不斷。每個人對它的記憶，都取決於他們曾於何時踏足此地；因此，不同年代的訪客，其回憶亦全然不同。
1980年代，有人提出要把歷史悠久的巴士車庫夷為平地，將此地打造為卡加利的「格蘭維爾島」。建設之初就睏難重重，計劃延宕，業權幾經轉手。
1993年8月13日，商場懷抱著無限希望開幕。17萬平方英尺的空間，規劃了125家商店、服務與娛樂設施；開幕當日，就有10間餐廳、60家商鋪、一座40個攤位的生鮮市集、20位街頭藝人以及一個五廳共1500個座位的Cineplex Odeon影院。IMAX影院在同年9月開幕，卻於2004年關閉。
我們無法記清那些曾短暫駐足的商家。懷抱夢想而來的創業者，大多隻留下失落的背影。但也有幾間商店，在風雨飄搖中堅持了下來：Good Earth 是開幕以來營運最久的店家；The Garage 存在了28年，Son of the Pharaoh 27年，Sweet Surprise 販售糖果25年，有位理髮師在那裡工作了24年，Island Foods 也撐過了21年。
我仍記得商場剛開幕的日子：祖父母會帶我到一間叫做 "Who''s Who in the Zoo" 的玩具店，我會從街頭藝人手中拿到一個氣球動物，然後我們會去 Hard Rock Café 吃飯。
但後來，人潮走了，店家關了，祖父母也不在了。
1998年，商場的債務超過其市值，隨即被出售。之後又再度轉手。
2004年，Harvard Developments 以2800萬加元購入商場，並宣佈將拆除重建。
但經濟衰退來襲，計畫喊停。
2013年，他們再次宣佈重建計畫，要在原址蓋起五棟高樓、一千戶住宅、80萬平方英尺的辦公空間與55萬平方英尺的商業空間。
結果，依舊沒有實現。
2023年，他們說，這次真要拆了，要為「綠線」輕軌讓路。
2024年5月31日，商場正式關閉。
但如今，這個項目再度停擺，未來仍不明朗，隻剩下憂慮與不確定。
我不禁想像，如果這座商場有另一種命運，會是怎樣？
如果我們當初選擇相信它、投資它，而不是一再威脅將它拆毀呢？
也許在某個平行宇宙裡，它仍舊以美食廣場、藝術空間、或市集的姿態存活著。
它原本可以成為很多種樣貌，但終究沒能實現。
曾經擁有改變權力的人，一次次做了放棄的選擇。
如今，它已不在。
在這個我們愈發需要實體公共空間的時代，我們卻拆除了那個從未真正完成過的地方。
我們活在一座習慣將歷史鋪平、遺忘再向前走的城市裡。
但如果，我們選擇對抗這種遺忘的衝動，逼自己記住這個不完美的地方呢？
也許在這交織著釋懷與遺憾的感受中，我們仍能從這片廢墟裡抓住點什麼。
也許，透過彼此的記憶，我們可以拼湊出一個屬於這座商場的故事，一個不完美但真實的故事。
朋友們，請與我一起，在這個地方進行最後一次探索。
讓我們一起走過這些空蕩蕩、回音繚繞的走廊，那些曾被青綠、紫紅、鮮黃與深紅描邊的牆角。
陽光會從天窗灑落，我們的影子會閃動在光禿禿的混凝土地闆上。
在美食廣場吃一餐飯、把糖果塞滿口袋，然後搭上自動扶梯上樓，沉浸在黑暗中。
去那裡見你 。
來這裡見我。
歐克萊爾商場。
Jessica Szeto
Jessica是一位來自Mohkinsstsis／卡加利的多媒體藝術家、作家同軟件軟件開發者。她的興趣廣泛多元，但作品經常聚焦於科技、殖民歷史與個人記憶之間的交叉關係。她經常同本地藝術家合作，參與不同的數碼同媒體藝術項目。Jessica是卡加利大學計算機科學畢業生。她的文字作品曾在Lougheed House、Heritage Park、卡加利華人文化中心、TRUCK當代藝術空間展出，亦在Yolkless Press的《Colonial Imports》出版。她目前是Chromatic Theatre 2024／2025年劇作家計劃成員之一。
Brady Fullerton
Brady是一位以攝影為主的藝術家和學者，他作品探討創傷、男性氣質、孤獨、心理健康、成癮同美感等議題。他擁有哲學博士學位，並以紀實攝影的方式將哲學問題轉化爲藝術實踐，同時也是他處理個人心理狀態的一種方式。他獲獎的攝影作品曾參與個展、群展、網上展覽及刊物出版。他目前正進行幾個項目，包括《Nowhere》——一個以阿爾伯塔省 Drumheller 故鄉為背景，探討創傷同記憶的影像計劃，獲得阿爾伯塔藝術基金會慷慨資助。
Danny Luong
Danny是一位住在Mohkinsstsis、第七條約地區的新晉攝影師。Luong的創作關注祖輩血脈的延續，以及曆史對多代移民所造成的影響。注重二元性，融合了中畫幅、35毫米和數字照片，其圖像風格結合快拍感覺同新聞紀實感。其鏡頭下的主題常聚焦於幾代人經曆的艱辛、共享的文化價值觀，以及流離失所對第一代與第二代加拿大人生活所産生的深遠影響。Luong在2023年Exposure攝影節獲得新晉攝影師獎，並曾參展Art Toronto、阿爾伯塔藝術家協會、Arts Commons、卡加利亞洲遺産基金會展出，並被選爲Exposure Studio Collective的一員。2024年，Luong獲得了加拿大藝術委員會的“項目到實現”資助，用於在2025年於卡加利的The Bows藝術家運行中心舉辦個展。
Stephen Chan
是一位自學成才的膠片攝影師，出生並成長於卡加利。他畢業於卡爾加裡大學，獲得地理信息工程學位，專業涉及地理空間數據的收集、整合和分析。Stephen從其工程背景中汲取靈感，探索人與其建構環境之間的形而上關繫。通過優雅、正式的構圖，他記錄城市衰敗、建築細節、過渡空間和類型學比較。通過捕捉動態空間的靜止狀態，Stephen邀請我們觀察週圍環境隨時間的演變。
Stephen的攝影生涯開始於2022年和2023年的Exposure攝影節新晉攝影師展示。隨後，他在Arts Commons的Window Galleries參加了2023年RBC新晉視覺藝術家項目，在2024年參加了多場阿爾伯塔藝術家協會的群展，並以作品登上Shutterhub出版的攝影書《Night Moods》封麵。Stephen獲得了卡爾加裡藝術髮展局的資助，製作關於歐克萊爾市場的攝影集《Eau Claire Nowhere》，預計在2025年底出版。