Painting the Trestle: Adolescent Negotiation of Space and Place in Post-Industrial Cape Breton

This presentation concerns the ongoing practice of painting a specific train-trestle bridge in industrial Cape Breton as a means of local adolescent self-expression, institutional affiliation, and memorialization. As a highly visible contested space in a largely post-industrial suburban setting with a renewed interest in heritage as both industry and tourist attraction, the practice of bridge painting has come under intense criticism and scrutiny by the public and municipal government: in the light of the most recent crackdown, the practice has been reconfigured as a site primarily for memorialization.

Originally prepared for the Annual Meeting of the American Folklore Society, Bloomington, Indiana, October 2011

Thanks to Chris Jones for production.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• folklore
• ethnography
• ethnologie
• Sydney River Trestle
• Trestle
• Painting
• Sydney River
• Sydney
• Riverview Rural High School
• Riverview High School
• Sydney Academy
• contested geography
• afs
• afs11
• american folklore society
• diamond presentation
• Cape Breton
• street art
• graffiti
• memorials
• Canada

[mikemomajr]

i like it they also painted it for the glace bay soldier who died in afganastan i saw them make a circle and say a prayere and in a flash they were gone

[JimHowDigsDirt]

Great video. I always enjoyed going to see the trestle because you never knew what to expect. I really think they should be allowed to paint it so they can take the time to do a really nice job. If you don't let them...they're still going to paint it but maybe not as neatly. Thanks for the photo credit. Howie H

[DrAmazing]

This was really interesting. I never gave the history of it much thought. My favorite is still the time someone wrote "Erection" on it. I laughed at that for like 10 minutes the first time I saw it and it always brightened up my day every time I drove under it.

[TeHBurgeRWalruS2]

Cool stuff, glad to see someone at least understanding the students point of view as well.

[JeSsPsYcHoTiC]

I missed my chance to paint the trestle in my grade 12 year due to the the crackdown on painting. and i gotta say it makes me sad that i missed that.

[buckem88]

awesome!

[capercb1]

GREAT

[TheDaveCann]

"Remix this video" option very tempting.

[sagamigawaville]

nice.