You may remember Heavy Industries from our post on The Drop. Well, I for one am happy to say that they are at it again! This time, they are installing a pair of sparrows at FIFTY times lifesize. I wonder when Calgary gets a Heavy Industry installation of similar magnitude, especially since they’re a Calgary-based company!
Anyways, without further adieu, the press release:
Heavy Industries Thrilled To Announce Installation of “The Birds” Public Art Monument
Calgary-based custom art fabricator Heavy Industries is excited to announce the much-anticipated installation of the The Birds at Vancouver’s Southeast False Creek Olympic Plaza on Monday, April 19th 2010. The 16-foot (4.88m) tall, realistic sculptures of a male and female sparrow have been commissioned as a legacy component of the Olympic and Paralympic Public Art Program.
As a monument, The Birds will infuse the plaza with a touch of the ridiculous and the sublime. Standing 50 times larger than life-size, the sparrows invert the usual relationship between small birds and humans, causing observers to take note of creatures that otherwise go unnoticed in the urban landscape. Given their scale, the usually non-threatening and beautiful sparrow becomes a dominating creature, calling into perspective the grave impact of introducing a non-native species into an ecosystem.
The sculptures’ meaning has been shaped by the local community’s focus on sustainability. It is the artist’s hope that The Birds will stimulate understanding that will lead to a greater sense of shared responsibility and caring.
"The Birds" in fabrication, 2009
The Birds are the work of Myfanwy MacLeod, a renowned Vancouver artist with a strong satirical element to her work. MacLeod is known to employ a wry sense of humour in her art to bring awareness to more serious points. As one of Canada’s premier artists, MacLeod examines the role of the individual within larger social structures through her sculptures, public art, photographs, and installations.
Think design build. Heavy Industries is a custom art fabricator with the artistic intelligence needed to bring complex, three-dimensional ideas to life. They have a world-class facility with an unconventional mix of experienced fabrication professionals, skilled project managers, and talented designers ready to deliver the best solution for unique projects.
