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Grizzly Bears

The Work

This concrete sculpture, along with Ogopogo, is one of the oldest pieces in the public art collection and many residents remember visiting it as children. It reminds us of the connection between 'Kelowna' and its original meaning of 'grizzly bear' in the Okanagan/Syilx First Nation language.

The Project

This work was added to the City’s Public Art Collection when the Public Art Program was initiated in 1998. Little is known about the work other than that it is made of painted concrete.

Time Piece

The Work

This concrete sculpture (along with Ogopogo) is one of Kelowna's oldest pieces in the public art collection and many residents remember visiting it as children. It reminds us of the connection between "Kelowna" and its original meaning of "grizzly bear" in Interior Salish.

Standing, Leaning, & Reclining

The Work

These 3 steel pieces make a playful reference to the human form in various poses.

The Project

The works were cut from the lift span of the Okanagan Lake Bridge which was dismantled when the W.R. Bennett Bridge was constructed in 2008. The pieces were salvaged in commemoration of this former landmark. The project was funded with the assistance of $40,000 from the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Timeline/Waterline

The Work

The work tells the story of one of Kelowna's historic neighbourhoods, now a Heritage Conservation Area. The top of each sculpture features a cast of rippled beach sand and a small bronze artifact, and the side panels contain an encircling timeline and inset historical images.

The Project

An open 2- stage competition was held in the fall of 2002. Of the 16 submissions received, 2 were short-listed. The $22,000 commission was awarded to the team of Kirsty and Philip Robbins in January 2003.

Zephyr

The Work

This sculpture stands as a symbolic gateway to Kelowna and is named for the gentle breezes that blow across Okanagan Lake bringing luck and prosperity to the region. It is made of polished stainless steel and is 10.7m long and 8m high. Strategically-placed LED lights accent the sculpture at night.

The Project

The piece was commissioned by the Public Art Program upon completion of the W.R. Bennett Bridge to mark the western entrance to Kelowna.

Fulfillment

The Work

The artist worked with a group of people who have experienced homelessness to develop a concept centered on the meaning of home and community. The use of recycled materials emphasizes both resiliency and sustainability.

Seth Benjamin

The Work

This work, originally created in woven vines and branches and then cast in bronze, is inspired by totemic female figures known as caryatids, invoked for their wisdom and protection. Created during the Okanagan Thompson International Sculpture Symposium. Intricately woven, the piece was first created in local willow branches that had been soaked in water for hours to create flexibility.

Peopled Place - Part Two

The Work

A brightly-coloured arch welcomes visitors to a small seating area tucked along the east side of Pandosy street in the heart of the commercial district. The arch leads to a stainless steel tower filled with artifacts and implements chronicling the Okanagan's agricultural and industrial past. A stainless steel flag and a stainless steel ball adorn the top of each piece. The sculptures encourage social interaction and self-reflection as viewers ponder their own past. The tower in the centre of the square is over 3.5m high and constructed of 6mm stainless steel.

Run

The Work

This series of steel “vessels” evokes a connection between human movement through water and the aquatic lifecycle by referring both to the iconographic form of the canoe and the remains of an ancient fish. Each of the sculptures is made of rolled steel and mounted on boulders. Each piece is different in form and orientation. The scale is about the same as a real canoe, approximately 4.3m in length. In the words of the artist, Richard Watts, "The title of the work refers to a salmon run, as well as the joggers that use the park.

Go

The Work

This dynamic sculpture, suspended high above the main entrance to a community sports facility, is made of highly-polished stainless steel, studded with jewel-like orbs of blown glass. Its kinetic form refers to the fun and energy of movement and sport. The sculpture consists of a gently spiraling 12m long, 10cm diameter stainless steel spine, supporting a playful array of steel coiled tubes, hoops, spheres, ribbons and spirals. The highly reflective surface is the result of hundreds of hours of hand grinding and polishing by the artists.

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