Monuments Unmaking, with IceBear
As part of the 2026 STEPS Public Art Residency and Fellowship Program, IceBear (Chris Johnston to his friends) is a status member of the Chippewas of Nawash at Cape Croker at Georgian Bay in Ontario, and is exploring how augmented reality can reshape our understanding of monuments and public memory through Monuments Unmaking. The project reimagines existing public artworks by revealing overlooked histories, cultural contexts, and diverse perspectives. By layering new stories onto familiar monuments, Monuments Unmaking invites audiences to engage with public art in more inclusive, thought-provoking, and meaningful ways.
Project at a glance
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artist-in-residence
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Augmented reality virtual viewable public art
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Artist Mentees
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Partner
About Monuments Unmaking with IceBear
Monuments Unmaking is designed to address critical gaps in the public art sector by advancing equity and representation through innovative digital approaches. This research-driven initiative responds to a pressing need: re-examining public artworks that may not reflect the diverse communities in which they exist, may be missing important cultural context, or may present histories through limited or incomplete perspectives. While some public artworks commemorate historical figures, events, or narratives, they can also exclude, simplify, or misrepresent the stories and lived experiences of marginalized communities. Through augmented reality (AR), Monuments Unmaking aims to reframe these works by offering new ways to engage with public art in a more inclusive, layered, and relevant context.
Monuments Unmaking is created in collaboration with the 4 for 4’s, a multidisciplinary team of student developers partnering with Camosun Innovates and STEPS Public Art to create Monuments Unmaking. By overlaying 3D digital artworks onto existing public art, their augmented reality app empowers artists to reclaim public spaces and tell the full, inclusive truth of our shared history. The full team includes Caleb Irvine (Lead Communicator & AR Developer), Egor Lidobardov (Lead Designer & 3D Artist), Mitchell Rose (Cloud & Backend Developer), and Vinicius Bezerra da Costa (Cloud & Backend Developer).
About Vancouver Island Map, Broughton St. by Steve Milroy
Photo from Feasting Victoria
The map of Vancouver Island on Broughton St. near the corner of Government St. gives us a fun, historical view of the Island and shows off the former Fort Victoria and surrounding area and also shares information about JD Pemberton, Land Surveyor (1851) and his family, whose office was formerly at this location.
Steve Milroy is a lifelong professional artist (39 years) whose expertise in a variety of mediums is nothing short of amazing. Best known for his innovative ideas, Steve has a broad skillset enabling him to see through to completion tasks that would be more than daunting for the less experienced artist. Steve paints in oils and acrylics, in both airbrush, traditional, and digital methods, from gallery-sized canvases to gymnasium-sized murals. He sculpts in steel, epoxy, fibreglass, aluminum, concrete, and bronze. One of his sculptures was unveiled by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their October 2016 visit to Canada. It is permanently installed at The Cridge Center for the Family on Hillside Avenue, Victoria. Steve sees himself as an artist of the common folk, producing wonders that anyone without a degree in art can still fully appreciate and enjoy. The home in Victoria that he and his wife live in was built entirely by Steve and resembles a giant oak tree stump with a round door that would be the envy of any Middle-earth hobbit. It has been featured in the Victoria Times-Colonist newspaper and on CHEK TV. Steve constructs all his zany projects in his shop next door, which is a knee-deep clutter of madness and mayhem!
About the Artist
IceBear
IceBear (Chris Johnston to his friends) is a status member of the Chippewas of Nawash at Cape Croker at Georgian Bay in Ontario. Born in 1953, for most of his childhood he was in the care of Indian and Northern Affairs. He credits his art and the strength of the visions the Spirits and the Creator have always given him for his survival of those early years. IceBear’s paintings and sculpture explore the relationship of mankind to his world, and his spiritual connection to it. In the tradition of most Woodlands peoples, and many other aboriginal people of the world, the Creator and Spirit are not entities separate from us, but exist within us and within every living thing, animate and inanimate. Their traditional teachings tell us that only by Acknowledging the Creator, and the Spirit that dwells in all things, can we truly understand and respect not only ourselves, but our world, our Mother Earth.
About the 4 for 4’s
Caleb M. Irvine
Lead Communicator & AR Developer
Caleb Irvine is of Coast Salish descent on his mother’s side and a member of the Tsawout First Nation, with settler English and Scottish roots on his father’s side. He is a final-term student in Camosun’s Information and Computer Systems (ICS) program. Building on a strong foundation in systems analysis and full-stack development, he specializes in creating immersive augmented reality applications that seamlessly integrate 3D elements into real-world environments. Alongside his technical work, Caleb brings robust leadership experience as the Chair of the 2026 Camosun Technology Symposium, where he oversees eleven cross-functional committees. Recently presented with the Computer Science Award by VIATEC, his ability to balance complex system design with clear communication makes him a valuable addition to any innovative development team.
Egor Lidobardov
Lead Designer & 3D Artist
Egor is an international student from Russia currently enrolled in the Interactive Media Development Technologist (IMD) program at Camosun College. He brings over five years of experience in design, photography, and topography-oriented projects, driven by a deep passion for visual creativity that began when he discovered Photoshop at a young age. He further expanded his skill set by completing university-level courses in 3D modeling in Russia. Through the IMD program, he has developed a solid foundation in programming, web and app development, technical workflows, and industry-standard development practices. While he understands both the technical and creative aspects of interactive media, he chose to specialize in visual design and digital art, where his passion and strengths lie. He also maintains an active practice in traditional physical art, which continues to influence his creative approach. He has hands-on experience working with industry-standard tools, including Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Maya, Blender and Unreal Engine 5.
Mitchell Rose
Cloud & Backend Developer
Mitchell is an Information and Computer Systems student. Since childhood, Mitchell has maintained a strong curiosity and passion for all things computer and technology related. Mitchell is ambitious, detail-oriented, and possesses a strong understanding of logical reasoning and complex systems. Mitchell has experience working with programming (C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, HTML, CSS), Databases (MySQL, Oracle, MongoDB), Game Engines (Unity), Systems Administration (Windows Server 2022), Operating Systems(Windows, Linux, MacOS), and Network/Network configuration related tasks.
Vinicius Bezerra da Costa
Cloud & Backend Developer
Vini is a student in the Information and Computer Systems Technologist program. Has a background in technical support and system troubleshooting from a previous work experience in Brazil, where he worked as an IT technician for over a year. He also has experience in design due to an internship completed before starting the IT career. Combining work and studies, he has experience with multiple technologies, such as Java, JavaScript, SQL, SQL Server, Oracle, and others. He has continued to expand and strengthen his technical knowledge being particularly interested in systems administration, troubleshooting, and software development.
Funders
The 2026 STEPS Public Art Residency is made possible by support from TD Bank Group through the TD Ready Commitment.
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