A couple of weeks ago, Vancouver revealed its latest piece of public art. It is a giant (13-metre high) golden replica, created by Douglas Coupland, of the hollow tree in Stanley Park. The piece was commissioned as a result of the condominium units built next door.
Vancouver requires developments over 100,000 square feet to provide the city with $1.98 per square foot to be spent on public art projects. The result, in this case, is a massive version of a Vancouver landmark, complete with a life-size picture of the actual tree in the windows of the building behind the sculpture.
Like most public art, it created a bit of a stir. There are haters who think it is something of a monstrosity. It is bright, shiny gold in colour. It is set into a cement plaza and is surrounded by buildings. It appears out of place.
On the other hand, if the number of folks taking selfies is any indication, there are also a significant number of people who enjoy the sculpture. It is a very faithful replica right down to the strips of bark and tree rings. It is an impressive piece of work. And you can easily stand inside it.
Of course, the original is still standing in Stanley Park but after the storm in 2006, it is held together by wire and supports.
Public art is rarely without controversy. It tends to produce "love-it-or-hate-it" types of responses. Indeed, many websites list the most hated or controversial pieces of public art, including one for Vancouver.
But where is all the public art in Prince George?
It is one of the things that I noticed 20 years ago when I arrived. Our downtown, at the time, was very much like driving through a parking lot, as one critic put it. Sure, businesses and local government had made attempts at sprucing the place up a bit but on the whole there wasn't a lot of visual art on display.
Then the Two Rivers Art Gallery moved into the downtown core. With its fantastic architecture and the Millennium Unity totem pole, it provided some visual appeal. Inside one could easily find all sorts of interesting artistic exhibits. In 2009, Peter von Tiesenhausen's piece Balance was installed at the entrance.
In 2003, the life-size sculpture of Bridget Moran by Nathan Scott was unveiled and in 2005 his sculpture of Terry Fox became a fixture. Some murals have appeared on the sides of buildings, including the most recent work in support of the Canada Winter Games. One of my favorite pieces is along First Avenue where a tile mosaic depicting a tree planter adorns the wall of a building.
But on the whole, Prince George still lacks public art.
While I am not suggesting we should have a 13-metre-high golden tree downtown, some sculptures representative of the wood industry would be interesting. Or even just some sculptures made of wood. There is a particularly stunning piece outside of the National Gallery in Ottawa. Why not Prince George?
Public art does not have to be representational statues nor elaborately painted buildings. It can be much simpler and still be elegant. There are some hidden gems around town such as the colorful fish which adorn some chain linked fences or the visually interesting planters in community gardens. Certainly, if one drives through the neighbourhoods in our town some individuals have worked hard to make their gardens into works of art with more than just beds of flowers.
Some merchants have made an effort. The beautification in the Gateway with its painted posts and interesting metal sculpture make for a visually appealing area. However, much more could be done to enhance the city's visual appeal.
Perhaps it is time for city council to consider how to invest in more public art. A visually interesting downtown core might help with some of the fundamental issues associated with the downtown. Art is more than just art for art's sake. It can be a catalyst for change.
After all, downtown improvement has been on council's agenda for at least 20 years.
-- Todd WHITCOMBE
