World-renowned artist Sean Yoro is coming back to Saint John this summer to make another piece of art with the help of our famous tides.
In 2017, Yoro painted a 28 ft. tall mural on a seawall in the harbour, which could only be fully viewed at low tide.
Yoro said that piece, which is largely covered by algae now and not visible to the public, is his most popular piece, and one he gets asked about around the world.
This year, he wants to paint a 28 by 40 ft mural on the Market slip seawall, using the tide as scaffolding, and recycled metal from shipping containers as a canvas.
Once completed, the piece would be removed from the harbour and displayed in a more permanent place in the city.
Mayor Don Darling says this piece reflects Yoro’s values. He’s not a conventional artist; he doesn’t paint on normal canvasses in studios.
“Thats not what this artist does. This artist wants to do projects, he’s got a deep connection to water. He does things that are incredibly unique,” he said during a council meeting.
Victoria Clark with Discover Saint John says this would be Yoro’s first permanent installation.
“The gift of this project is that we have that permanent installation which is a place where people can come and appreciate his art, because otherwise it’s digital,” she said.
Yoro specializes in “vanishing art.” It’s often temporary or in remote locations, like on the sides of boats or the tops of mountains. Clark says his work often has a message about the environment and climate change.
Because this piece will be his first permanent one, it will turn Saint John into a destination for his fans from around the world to see his art.
Yoro will be painting for two weeks in July and August. Discover Saint John hopes to draw tourists to the city to watch the event.
