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Village verve

Glacial Traces, street banners will be latest examples of public art Two new public art projects will be installed this summer in Whistler.

Glacial Traces, street banners will be latest examples of public art

Two new public art projects will be installed this summer in Whistler.

New street banners from designer Denise Cook, and the final installation of the Glacial Traces project will be completed through the organization of the Whistler public art committee.

Chair Jane Wong says "these are elements that can make Whistler stand out (in the minds of visitors)."

Banners by Cook, formerly of the RMOW and currently owner of a Vancouver-based design company, will be on display at Village Square later this month.

The Glacial Traces project, a continuation of an ongoing work by the same name from artist Celine Rich, is due for installation upon completion of construction at Maurice Young Millennium Place, likely in September.

Rich’s project mimics the glacial process in the patterns of the paving stones around Village Park.

"The pavement is supposed to convey the idea of glacier receding," adds Wong.

Twenty pavers represent fossils, scattered throughout the paving and across the Sightlines Bridge nearby.

The final stage of Rich’s project involved the community creating snowflakes, which were then cast in blocks of recycled glass during a workshop nearly five years ago.

The snowflake blocks will be installed, in a random pattern, in a park fountain that will be built in front of Maurice Young Millennium Place. The snowflakes, in the fountain at the top of the Glacial Traces piece, complete the story of a glacier.

The new street banners from Cook are akin to the visual displays of the Bridge Art Project, on display on the pedestrian bridge over Village Gate Boulevard (the Ted Nebbeling Bridge), which incorporated the work of six different artists on weather-proof material.

The artists were Sharon Jensen, Scott Johnston, Jean Lee, Isobel MacLaurin, Heidi Mattson, and Janet Young. Their banners are hung intermittently in between local advertising displays.

Six new artists will be commissioned this coming year for the second half of the project, after a call for artists takes place in September.

The visual art works represent a change for public art, according to Parks and Recreation planner at the RMOW, Kevin McFarland.

McFarland, a member of the public art committee for the past four years, says most public art displays tend to be three-dimensional, sculpture works, like the two structures located outside Dusty’s Bar at Creekside.

More public art is coming, including the new "Celestri" sculpture from the team of Patricia Ray and Gerald Gasztoni, which was commissioned for the new Four Seasons Hotel being built by Intrawest. Construction of the hotel began this past spring.

Celestri, a metal and glass structure, will stand 13 feet high and 12 feet in diameter. The monument will be installed along the pathway between the Intrawest Club Resort and the Four Seasons Hotel.

Future public art projects include developing two areas at Village Square: the information sign board across from Citta, and the entranceway to the Village Square above the taxi loop.

The renovations are part of the ongoing Village Enhancement plan.

The information board will become more of an information kiosk with character, through the help of a commissioned artist who will follow the idea of "free flow."

"We don’t want to restrict the artist (in public art designs for Whistler) with themes, as the concept of public art is wide open," said McFarland.

Functional art, and longevity are the twin goals.

"There’s a real opportunity to make a landmark for the square," says Wong.

In addition, the railing leading up the steps from the taxi loop to the Village Square entranceway will be updated. The signboard overtop the staircase, which advertises current events and upcoming festivals, is also part of the project. And the breezeway between Armchair Books and Moguls Café is slated for improvements.

"For me, public art is an interesting hand railing," says Wong, who adds that the committee is working with the Whistler Community Arts Council (WCAC) to develop a brochure for walking tours of public art.

The two areas of Village Square development are scheduled to be completed by summer 2003, says McFarland.

"It’s exciting to see (public art), and know that it’s happening," adds McFarland.

McFarland says the RMOW works closely with the art committee to address issues surrounding projects, from weather proofing to signage.

McFarland says there will be a call for artists’ submissions for the Village Square projects in the next few months.

The desire for public art in Whistler has been documented in a local community survey, commissioned by the WCAC and completed by the Professional Environmental Recreation Consultants Ltd. and Legacy Heritage Consultants in 2000.

The report included a section which states that public art should "hit a local nerve, and reflect local landscapes, heritage, and culture."

Village Park, which follows the creek from Millennium Place to the Stoney Creek condos, is full of public art. The Storyteller’s Chair, located in Village Park West, is an example. The chair lists the phrase "Once upon a time" in 30 different languages, highlighting the international nature of Whistler.

"Sightlines," from artists Kip Jones and Jennifer Macklem, includes 20 bronze objects and railings by the Village Park creek. The two artists explore different concepts of scale and observation with this installation.