PASSAGE

PASSAGE is an interesting and unusually shaped art space that could be the perfect venue for your art installation if you want to get really creative. I was on an espresso stop at Caffé Rosso when I I stumbled upon PASSAGE by accident. Everything about it encouraged me to keep exploring. The sign out by the parking lot telling me it existed. The long, narrow corridor between the two old brick building with planters on either side. The nondescript metal door with a large, colourfully painted tank next to it. «Explore me!»
Once inside, I found a sign instructing me to explore the space. There is a sign explaining a bit about what I would find, but still the space remained shrouded in mystery, begging for me to venture further. There are even minor helmets complete with a headlamp for you to wear as you embark on your artistic adventure. Sure, the helmets are part of the current installation and may not be there when you go, but they give a good representation of the space regardless of the art. The hall is very narrow and tall, only about 10 feet wide and several stories up. It’s as if you are walking through a deep mountain crevice in the middle of an old factory.
Please take this with a grain of salt as I’m just an opinionated Joe and by no means and art expert, but I wouldn’t tell people to drop what they’re doing to check out the current PASSAGE installation. With out giving away too much in case you want to check it out; I dig the concept and I like how the shapes work with and contribute to the very unusual room, but overall it was a little underwhelming. I think it’s a piece that would work very well in complete darkness, lit by only your headlamp, but there is still a substantial amount of light that gets in and it ruins the effect. I wanted to love it, but after all my excitement adventuring in, I was left wondering «Is that it?» It’s Art! Who knows, maybe that was the artist’s intent!
I never saw any people the whole time I was there. You’re free to roam around and check it out at your leisure. You can’t beat the price either. Free!
Passage gets a 4-​Star from me for being a really cool, community minded art venue in an unusual space. I’m very happy to see things like this popping up around Calgary.