Mission’s biggest mural along the Hwy 7 corridor completed in August 2022, thanks to a collaborative partnership between the City of Mission, UFV, and the Mission Downtown Business Association. This project began as a conversation between the Mission Crime Prevention Office and the DBA almost a year ago as a way of exploring options to combat and prevent graffiti, bring more art and vibrancy to our downtown core, and celebrate the community of Mission. Stephanie Key, from the City of Mission’s Parks, Recreation, and Culture department, and Miriam Bozman, Executive Director of the DBA, decided to champion the project forward as part of the City’s Public Art Policy and Program. Through a desire to put a spotlight on young, emerging artists, they soon reached out to UFV for a partnership with their School of Creative Arts and Professor Chris Friesen.

Students were given loose guidelines for the project; it had to be in a contemporary abstract style and it had to reflect the community of Mission somehow. Community members invested in Mission arts and culture were invited to participate in the art review and selection committee, which reviewed presentations of eight designs from four teams of students. The committee selected the design created by Jungyi Zhang called The Four Seasons, but they had one stipulation; the mountain shown in the landscape needed to be a local one. The mural was designed to be enjoyed by car as you drive by in either direction, showcasing the progression of the four seasons through a landscape of colors that represent Mission. On the left, blues and greens represent the incredible natural beauty of our area as well as our fishing and forestry industries. The center features the Fraser River in front of Mount Judge Howay. Moving to the right and into fall, the magenta and pink are representative of BC salmon, the Caitlin rhododendron (the official flower of Mission) and cherry blossoms, which represent our sister city of Oyama, Japan. Moving into winter, you’ll see darker shades representing the rich history of the Mission railways.

The project organizers would like to thank the community for their support, encouragement, and patience through this project. They would also like to thank the students and Professor Chris Friesen, who worked tirelessly on this project and have left a legacy for all of Mission to enjoy for years to come.