Vancouver Island artist Aiym Samay-Sampson’s design has been selected for the 2025 Nanaimo street banner.
The theme for this year’s banner was “Metamorphosis and Change.”
The city chose Samay-Sampson’s design — an abstract, fragmented butterfly — because it “symbolizes gradual, harmonious change,” City Hall said in a press release on Monday, adding that its geometric shapes, “broken apart but reassembling in new form,” represent the “unpredictable and challenging side of transformation.”
Samay-Sampson said she feels “honoured” to have her artwork chosen this year.
“I believe abstract art allows us to express complex emotions and ideas in a visually engaging way,” she said in the press release. “I created this piece to not only celebrate change but also to encourage young people to embrace their creativity and follow their passion for art.”
She said her inspiration for the design was Franz Kafka’s book The Metamorphosis.
“It’s a great book,” she told The Discourse.
Born in Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, where she studied design and animation at the art school there for many years.
Samay-Sampson moved to Vancouver when she was 17 in the hopes of working for animation production studios like Disney. She studied 3-D animation at Langara College, where she met her husband Michael.
Three years ago, the couple moved to Nanaimo because living here was more affordable than in Vancouver.
“There’s more younger people coming over from Vancouver for the cheaper rent and to help develop the city,” she told The Discourse. “It’s great.”
Samay-Sampson herself recently moved to Victoria, where she now works as a tattoo artist at the Tiger Tattoo Collective.
“I’ve been tattooing for almost a year and I love it so much,” she said. “I can put all of my drawing experience and ideas and work with a client on their own designs, just like I loved working on the banner design.”
She has already tattooed a number of butterflies and is hoping that the city will give her a banner to put on the wall of her shop.
“The striking artwork selected to adorn our 2025 street banners will transform city streets, exemplifying the vitality of our arts and culture community,” said Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog in a news release. “We look forward to highlighting the talents of a local artist with the appearance of banners that herald the coming of spring — bright, bold, and to be enjoyed by all!”
The banners will be on display in downtown Nanaimo, the arts district, along Bowen Road, Third Street and other major routes.
