Published on September 10, 2026
The Long Play by Red Knot Studio, Public Art in Motion
As Red Knot Studio, Erin Pankratz and Christian Pérès Gibaut activate the imagination through works of public art. In their hands, motion, colour, and abstract structure mix together to make public spaces more curious and compelling.
“We always try to create something that opens the possibility for people to ask questions [more] than to have answers, Gibaut says. “We try to create things that are not prescriptive, and are more like an invitation for people to imagine possible interpretations.”
Their latest work, The Long Play, is set to be unveiled in St. Albert at the end of September. The mural—composed of countless pieces of handmade tile—will adorn an outdoor bouldering wall in Element Park, offering a playful sense of momentum. And while the finished design is yet to be installed, the artists note that they've already gotten a sense of how effective it is with the people they’ve shown so far—who start moving to mimic the designs.
“We know that it's working because they'll start enacting some characters,” Pankratz says with a laugh.
“That's our proof of concept,” Gibaut adds. “Something is working when we show designs and people start physically reacting.”
Throughout the creation process, Pankratz and Gibaut did plenty of public consultation. Back in June, there was even an opportunity for the public to create tiles of their own, which will be added into the finished piece. That sort of hands-on consultation gives members of the community a direct connection to the finished art.
“When people have the opportunity to incorporate a tile into the mosaic, they just take ownership, making their mark literally, “ Pankratz says. "They remember the tile they put. We want people to fall in love with it, engage with it, and take ownership of it, so that it becomes part of that park's history.”
Pankratz and Gibaut originally met years ago at a mural conference; now married, they’ve had their murals featured all around the province, and recently won awards for an installation called A Mischief of Could Be(s) in downtown Edmonton.
Their public art seeks to connect the community to itself, they note. With mosaics like this, we’re given the opportunity to invest more in our own shared spaces.
“In a way, public art is telling you, ‘you belong here,’” Gibaut says. “Because whoever you are, that public art was placed there for you. Regardless of the particular artwork, that's a statement in itself: that this is a place for you to be here and to enjoy, and to be part of this society, and this community.”
The Long Play will be unveiled on September 28 in Element Park. More information can be found on the Element Park Project page.
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Last edited: September 10, 2026