And the work does continue. Her next project involves burying 100 ceramic sculptures along the coulee paths for hikers to discover—each one inscribed with a fact about the area’s Indigenous history before colonization. She calls it The Dirty Archaeology Project . Search analytics show that “Shareen Bartley - Lethbridge - The Dirty” spikes every few months, often following a small event or a resurfaced social media argument. For journalists, it’s a case study in how local figures can become mythologized and demonized through the ambiguity of language. For residents, it’s a Rorschach test: Do you see a community artist trying to provoke thought? Or an agent of disorder?
By: Southern Alberta Independent Media
Whether you type her name out of curiosity, concern, or contempt, you are now part of the story. And if you find yourself walking the coulees one afternoon, keep an eye on the ground. You might just unearth a piece of The Dirty Archaeology Project —a small ceramic token reminding you that even in the cleanest of cities, something is always growing in the dirt. Shareen Bartley - Lethbridge - The Dirty