Cambridge Stop – Holiday Network
Look closer — this mistletoe on Cupid’s Path isn’t made of vines and leaves at all, but of Ethernet cables!
Artist Jordan Shaw reimagines a holiday symbol through the lens of connection, weaving together Cambridge’s textile history with today’s digital world.
Meet the Artist – Jordan Shaw
Canadian artist and creative technologist Jordan Shaw creates installations that blend art, light, and technology in surprising ways.
With a background in software engineering, his work explores how digital systems shape the way we connect, remember, and experience the world around us.
Jordan has exhibited across Canada — including Waterloo’s Lumen Festival, where his interactive installation Crosshatch drew thousands of visitors in a single night.
The Mistletoe Trail holds special meaning for Jordan. Having spent many holidays in Cambridge and Ayr, he associates the region with snowy adventures, family gatherings, and a strong sense of community.
His mistletoe, woven from ethernet cables, reflects that connection — a playful nod that intertwines Cambridge’s textile history with Waterloo Region’s innovative spirit, where craft meets code and tradition meets technology.
About This Mistletoe: Holiday Network
Jordan’s mistletoe creation reimagines traditional craft through electronic materials.
Inspired by his grandmother’s rug hooking, he has woven stripped Ethernet cables into a circular frame, creating a vibrant, tactile sculpture that is both playful holiday décor and a nod to the digital networks connecting us today. At night, integrated solar lights evoke the soft blinking of modems and routers, bridging analog tradition and modern technology. A festive symbol of gathering and connection, this mistletoe invites visitors to pause, reflect, and enjoy a whimsical intersection of craft, technology, and community spirit.
About the Location: the Cambridge Pedestrian Bridge
The Cambridge Pedestrian Bridge was built to increase connectivity to the river-scape and improve pedestrian and cycling connections within downtown Cambridge. The circular lookout observation area in the centre of the bridge (where the mistletoe is hung) offers an exceptional view of the Grand River.
Enjoy the view during the day, or let the glow of the neon coloured lights that light up the bridge at night provide a perfect backdrop as Cupid’s arrow strikes!