One of the most exciting things about public art is the intentionality of its location. Unfortunately, UBC's landscape is constantly shifting, and with buildings constantly coming and going, the art attached to it doesn’t always last forever.
“Symbols for Education” — a mural created by artist and former UBC faculty member Lionel Thomas and his wife Patricia — was first installed in 1958 under commission from that year’s graduating class. Originally placed near Brock Hall (the then-student union building), the mural was taken down in 2020 to make way for the construction of Brock Commons South.
However, the piece has been restored and was recently re-installed on a dedicated wall between buildings near Brock Commons South.
The mural is a 54-block glass mosaic representing UBC’s faculties and departments, with the artists using abstract, intersecting lines to express the interconnectedness of disciplines, students and staff. As campus evolves, the piece invites students, faculty and visitors to engage with its rich history, serving as a tangible reminder of the institution's past.
“The work reflects the Information Age of the late 1950s to 1960s when art, architecture and design merged,” said Dr. Tatiana Mellema, the outdoor art curator at the Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery.
She noted that although the mural was intended to represent UBC’s departments, the departments depicted in the piece aren’t an exact reflection of what UBC was like at the time. It was more of an idea of what the university could become — a historical marker capturing the aspirations of a growing campus during the dynamic period of the late 1950s.
Mellema emphasized how the position between buildings fosters a space for contemplation.
“It provides a really nice viewpoint between the building, so it's … a really nice way to engage people's interaction with that space,” she said. “Just being on campus and having this kind of space of contemplation between the buildings.”
The piece emerges as a “surprise” along the path — a subtle yet intentional encounter for passersby.
For Mellema, the importance of the mural lies in its abstract representation of shared knowledge.
“The most fascinating part about the work is really how we communicate this information [about departments and faculties] through symbols,” she said. Tied together within an abstract mosaic, these symbols remind viewers of how academic institutions are intended as a space for different disciplines and perspectives to coalesce into a broader, interconnected community.
When discussing the challenges faced during the mural's reinstallation, Mellema highlighted the collaborative efforts between Barbara Cole, the former outdoor art curator, and Principal Conservator Sarah Spafford Ricci. A conservator works specifically to make sure the original artist’s voice is being preserved during the process of updating the piece.
“During the reinstallation, Barbara and Sarah worked closely together to ensure that the project would preserve the original design as closely as possible,” Mellema said.
Years of exposure to the elements had taken a toll on the mural’s surface and structure, necessitating adjustments to ensure its longevity. The team chose to upgrade the framing to bronze, a more resilient material than the original, to better shield the individual mosaic panels from further weathering.
This meticulous preservation process required both artistic sensitivity and technical expertise, as each mosaic panel needed careful handling to prevent damage. By reinforcing the frame and restoring individual elements, the team balanced honouring the mural’s historical integrity with modern conservation practices.
As a result, "Symbols for Education" stands resilient in its new home, ready to inspire future generations while echoing UBC’s storied past.
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