On May 24 & 25, 2025, a mobile exhibition of 11 artist-driven cars toured the sprawling parking lots of Calgary/Mohkinstsis, transporting strange, subversive, and satirical artworks in a motorcade of cars.
Above: photos by Caitlind Brown, Mike Tan, and Allison Seto
IDLE WORSHIP was a mobile exhibition of pick-up truck performances, back-seat sculptures, and automotive installations designed in response to our car-centred city. Each vehicle became a micro-gallery, propelling contemporary art into the oft neglected corners of Calgary, including stops in all four quadrants of the city: Crossroads Farmer’s Market, the Pick-n-Pull on Barlow, Fish Creek Library / Southcentre Mall, the Walmart at Westbrook Mall, the Safeway at North Hill Mall, the Bass Pro / Canadian Tire at Deerfoot City Mall, and Burnt Toast Studios / Idle Eyes / Congress Coffee in the Greenview Industrial District.
A convoy of subversive creativity, this exhibition traversed our civic landscape as so many commuters do daily ~ but more subversive intentions. Pithy and playful, IDLE WORSHIP is equal parts community project, commentary, and intervention in plain sight.
ARTISTS:
Helen Young
Jennie Simm
Khalid Omokanye
Logan Lape
Nikki Klawuahboe & Lane Shordee
Patrick Hamilton
Ramin Eshraghi-Yazdi
Rebecca Reid & Ryan Bourne
seth cardinal dodginghorse
Teresa Tam
Caitlind r.c. Brown & Wayne Garrett
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Mike Tan
Elyse Bouvier
Allison Seto
Caitlind Brown
ORGANIZERS:
Caitlind r.c. Brown & Wayne Garrett
Above: artwork from IDLE WORSHIP 2025, photos by Allison Seto, Mike Tan, Elyse Bouvier, and Caitlind Brown
Eternal Thanks to the Artists and Photographers, Gail Garden, Taylor Poitras & the CADA crew, CJSW, Adam Kamis, Chad Saunders, Noel Begin, Nikki Emerson & Bin Diver, Joe Kelly, Dale Meyer & Veronica Murphy, Clare Duckett, the Ohama Family, Ramin’s folks, Steve and Noor at Global Wide, our partners and Moms, and all the co-pilots and support systems keeping our collective tires on the road. Thanks to all the sweet folks, both friends and strangers, who came to check out the show!
The streets, parking lots, and highways of Calgary are located on the traditional territories of the people of Treaty 7 in Southern Alberta, which includes the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, the Stoney Nakoda, and the Metis Nation of Alberta, Districts 5 & 6. Roads and car infrastructure has had profound impacts on the landscape and displaced many Indigenous communities in this region, past and present. As we drive Deerfoot, Crowchild, Tsuut’ina Trail, and other highways, we acknowledge how these roads came to be named for the histories they were often attempting to pave over. We share these roads with gratitude for the land beneath and a share responsibility for better routes ahead.
IDLE WORSHIP is supported by Calgary Arts Development Authority and The City of Calgary. Community Partners included EMMEDIA & Big Kitty Magazine.
THE HIBERNATION PROJECT 