Calgary Postcards: Statues & Sculptures / Past & Present
While Calgary’s public art is often controversial, the city has a long history of commissioning statues and sculptures without any controversy. Calgary is home to an eclectic collection of statues and a few sculptures.
“What is the difference between a statue and a sculpture” you ask? A statue is “a likeness (as of a person or animal) sculptured, modeled, or cast in a solid substance (such as marble, bronze, or wax). A sculpture is , a 3-dimensional creative object which can be made of almost any material, does not have to be life-like, and the subject matter can be anything.
Here are just a few of Calgary’s statues with a few sculptures thrown in. I have also included a bit of their history and stories. There are some familiar pieces, some hidden gems and a few surprises. I hope you enjoy.
“The Winner” by J. Sward Johnson Jr. is back on 8th Ave SW at Century Gardens. It is one of my favourite Calgary sculptures. It was removed while the garden/park was being renovated.
“The Conversation” by William Hodd McElcheran was placed on Stephen Avenue Walk in 1981. It is perhaps Calgary’s most popular statue. The statue was donated to the City of Calgary by Norcen Energy. It is popular with tourists, who love to get their picture taken with with these two Calgarians.
The piece is also a popular with Calgarians who love to interact with the piece in different ways.
Backstory: I found the same sculpture in Berlin, in the Charlottenburg neighbourhood, tucked away between a playground and a building where I expect very few people even notice it. I wonder how it got there?
I expect few people know there is a second version of “The Conversation” in the lobby of the Tom Baker Cancer Clinic at the Foothills Medical Centre. This one is way more expressive.
“The Brotherhood of Mankind” by Mario Armengol was installed at the corner of 1st St and 6th Ave SE in 1968. It is also known as “Family of Man.” The work was originally created for the British Pavilion for Expo 67 in Montreal where they were spread out as part of an exhibit called “Britain in the World.” The figures were meant to suggest the dominance of man and stood next to what the Brits determined were their gifts to the modern world - language, government systems, law and traditions.
Sitting Eagle also known as John Hunter was the chief of the Stoney Nakoda First Nation. It honours his contributions to his people, the Calgary Stampede as well as Calgary’s business and ranching communities. The statue is located at the base of the Encor Place office tower at corner of 7th Ave and 6th St SW. Sculptor: Don Begg.
Centre Street Bridge Lions and Buffalos. Built in 1916 and installed in 1917, the four lion sculptures standing guard over the Centre Street Bridge for nearly 100 years. The artist James L. Thompson, a Scottish stonemason was working as a city labourer at the time and sculpting in his spare time. He spent the winter of 1916 in a shed east of the bridge creating the lions, which are based on the bronze lions found at the base of Nelson’s Column in London’s Trafalgar Square.
“Nuns and Nightingales” by Semper Fidelis, 2011. Caring for the sick, serving the community with compassion a tribute to the Sisters of Charity (Grey Nuns) who established the Holy Cross Hospital in 1891. In commemoration of the 2,409 graduates of the Holy Cross School of Nursing 1907 to 1979. Sculptor: Don Begg.
Women Are Persons is an installation on Olympic Plaza the celebrates the accomplishment of Nellie McClung, Louise McKenney, Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards and Irene Parlby who collectively were responsible for challenging British Canadian law to include women as ‘persons’ under the context of the law. Link: The Famous Five Monument The public often interact with the piece leaving change or cups of coffee in the outstretched hand…very popular spot for tourists to take photos. Sculptor: Barbara Paterson.
Do Re Me Fa Sol La Si Do by Joe Farfard is located in downtown’s Harley Hotchkiss Gardens at the 4th Street LRT Station. It consists of eight laser-cut steel horses in a pasture in the middle of the park. From a distance it looks like they are trotting through the park, but up close they are a fun narrative of cats, foxes, birds and humans that engages our imagination.
FYI: The same sculpture is located along the banks fo the St. Lawrence River in Quebec City, a gift from the people of Calgary, the Calgary Stampede, Penn West Energy (now Obsidian) and the Bill Siebens family to honour the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec City.
“TransitStory” by Jill Anholt (2012) is located at the 7th Ave and Centre St. LRT Station. I was not aware of the title of the piece when I took the photo of a man reading a story.
The colour of the 30 figures embedded in the metal air grates changes colour as you walk past them, creating a fun pedestrian experience, especially for children. FYI: Almost every LRT station in Calgary has a piece of public art.
The “Paper Plane” sculpture, just west of the Simmons building right on the Riverwalk by the “Light and Soul” artists’ collective – Kai Cabunoc-Boettcher, Daniel J. Kirk and Ivan Ostapenko. The metaphor is obvious – the east-facing paper plane is still in the grasp of a human hand but ready to take flight, just like the development of East Village. It is popular photo spot as it lines up nicely with the Calgary Tower and The Bow in the background.
Weather Vanes by Colette Whiten and Paul Kipps, is located on the southeast corner of Bankers Hall.
The piece has a wonderful sense of play and welcoming that is often missing in tall corporate office buildings.
A portrait of Vincent Van Gogh by Joe Fafard sits at the entrance to Masters Gallery on 4th St SW. From a distance it looks more like a painting, but up close the head is concave (colour side) or convex (black and white side) depending on which side you approach it from. This distorts the face in a manner the reflects the difficult mental issues the artist faced during his life. The piece is appropriately titled “Van Gogh Observes,” as the figure appears to be observing everybody who is walking by.
A second Van Gogh sculpture is located at the corner of 10th Ave and 1st St SE at the entrance to the new UPTEN apartments. It is titled “Van Gogh Monumental” and is by French-Italian artist Bruno Catalano, whose work is characterized by fragmented figures. It was commissioned by Strategic Group, the developer of the building. The piece is open to multiple interpretations of the status of “men” and “mankind” today. Perhaps even a comment on the state of Calgary’s economy and downtown.
Of course Calgary is home to many sculptures of horses like this one in front of the BMO Centre at Stampede Park.
Or this one of Colonel James Macleod at Fort Calgary.
Of this one at the new pedestrian/cycling bridge at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers.
Memorial Park is home to several statues that celebrate different wars.
Statue of First World War soldier erected by the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire sit at the entrance to the Memorial Park Library.
This “Boer War Memorial” is by Louise Phillippe Herbert (1914) who was one of the best equine sculptors of his time.
One of the strangest sculptures in Calgary is “Robert the Bruce” located on the south west corner of the SAIT campus by the Jubilee Theatre. Why is there a huge statue of Scottish King Robert the Bruce overlooking downtown Calgary? And why is it an exact copy of a statue in Scotland at the site of the Battle of Bannockburn?
Turns out it was a gift to Calgary from Eric Harvie who was proud of his Scottish heritage and Honorary Colonel of the Calgary Highlanders. Story has it that when he heard artist Charles Pilkington Jackson was creating a Robert the Bruce sculpture for Bannockburn Scotland (where an army of Scots led by Robert the Bruce defeated the arm of King Edward II of England), he arranged for a second one to be made for Calgary.
Statue of Sam Livingston by Alan Henderson at the Calgary International Airport titled “Calgary’s First Citizen.”
Some people call Sam Livingston "Calgary's first citizen", but George Clift King is also given that title and in fact John Glenn was the first documented European settler in the Calgary area, in 1873.
Stampede Park is home to numerous sculptures like “Bronc Twister” by Rich Roenisch. This sculpture is based on a drawing of by California artist Edward Borein commissioned by Guy Weadick (organizer of the first Calgary Stampede in 1912) for a poster to promote the 1919 “Victory Day" Stampede. The drawing was titled “I See U” as it seems the bronc rider may be thinking just that when looking down at the bronco’s head for a clue to which way he might twist next.
At the entrance to the Nutrien Western Event Cente is the sculpture “Our Land Our Future The Alberta Farm Family” by Vilem Zach. Did you know that every year the Calgary Stampede and BMO recognize farm families in southern Alberta for they outstanding contributions to society.
The last sentence reads, “We depend on the farm family’s stewardship of our most precious renewable resource.”
At the Sarcee Road entrance to Currie Barracks in Valour Park is a memorial to Canadian soldiers with several statues and their stories.
This statue celebrates the more than 1,600 air servicemen and woman who lost their lives in World War II. The statue was sculpted by Don and Shirley Begg.
On the plaza in front of the Municipal Building and old City Hall is the Police & Firefighters Memorial. In the history of the Calgary Police Service, 12 officers have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Calgary has lost 47 firefighters in the line of duty, nine during active firefighting and 38 due to illnesses related to firefighting.
The bronze statue of General James Wolfe is located in Mount Royal Park. This statue stood for many years in front of the Astor Building on Lower Broadway in New York City before it was purchased by Eric Harvie (founder of The Glenbow) for his private collection. He donated it to the City of Calgary in honour of Canada’s centennial in 1967. It was installed at the Calgary Centennial Planetarium, where it stood until 2000, when it was removed for conservation and relocated to the Mount Royal Park, which is bounded appropriately by Wolfe Street., Quebec Avenue, Montcalm Crescent and Cabot St.
Calgary is home to two General Wolfe statues. This one by artists Brandon Vickerd is located in Inglewood, at the south side of the 12th St SE bridge over the Bow River. It is titled “Wolfe and Sparrows.” It is based on Wolfe sculpture in Mount Royal Park, but in this case as figure dissolves into a flock of birds at the top. The design is based on conversations with the community who said they wanted the artwork to be monumental, a gateway to the community, a link to the history of the site and be whimsical.
The Energy Environment Experiential Learning building (EEEL) is one of the University’s newest buildings and perhaps one of Calgary’s most contemporary and striking buildings architecturally. Located in a prime location at the front entrance is Reinhard Skoracki’s (born in Germany, a University of Calgary graduate) 16-foot tall bronze sculpture titled, “Nature is an Eternal Mystery.”
It is a nude male figure (complete with genitalia) shrouded with two triangular flat planes over his head and torso, leaving only the butt and legs exposed. The leaves and tree branch sticking out of his head reference man’s needs to think more about nature. The covering of the head is perhaps a comment about humans’ blindness to our impact on nature.
Goddess of Democracy, MacEwan Student Centre, University of Calgary.
In 1989, Chinese students erected a 30-foot Statue of Liberty replica out of white plaster over a metal armature and styrofoam in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square facing Mao Tse-tung. It became the symbol of the Chinese people’s desire for democracy and eventually resulted in the death of 10,000+ students when Chinese soldiers tried to remove it. Several replicas of the statue have since been created by university students around the world in sympathy with the Chinese students.
The University of Calgary’s replica (created by American artist, Thomas Marsh), is slightly larger than life-size and prominently located in the lobby of the MacEwan Student Centre. It was erected in 1995 by the Chinese Students Society, the Students’ Union, the University of Calgary and the Alliance for a Democratic China, it serves as a reminder of the “power of the people.”
Located in the lobby of the now Suncor Centre, formerly Petro Canada Centre, this bronze statue is part of the legacy of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Petro Canada was the corporate sponsor of the Olympic Torch run across Canada.
“Ten Figures in Motion with a Horse” by Alan Henderson, 2009. I love this piece at the entrance to Xenex condo at the corner of 12th Ave and 7th St SW. You have to get up close to see all of the numerous fun figures that comprise the artwork. It is a hidden gem.
“Birdwrap” by Ivan Eyre sits outside the Loch Gallery on 12th Ave at 2nd St SW. This mysterious kneeling figure has an interesting duality - part human, part animal and part spiritual, part warrior. The mystery is further enhanced by the head hidden in the helmet that looks like a black void until you get closer.
This statue of Ron and Margaret Southern is at Spruce Meadows, the 505-acre world-class equestrian centre they created on the southern edge of Calgary.
Boney in SETON is just one of dozens of public artworks commissioned by Calgary developers as part of branding their new community or new condo development as a fun and unique place to live.
“Outlaw” by Richard Loffler. The information panel states “While the bull has become a financial symbol of prosperity and optimism, “Bullish on Your Future” art initiative was inspired by “Outlaw,” Canada’s most famous bull. Outlaw was one of the greatest athletes to ever perform at the Calgary Stampede. He was ridden only once in 71 trips out of the chute. Known for his intelligence and athleticism, Outlaw moves in the arena earned him the reputation of being one of the “rankest” bulls in the world of rodeo and also one of the most respected.
In 2008, the CFA Society Calgary partnered with CFA Institute (the global association of investment professionals) and the Caglary Stampede to create the Bullish on Your Future art initiative. The vision was to create an iconic bronze sculpture in the heart of downtown Calgary, representing our western heritage and values, as well as symbolizing the city as a rising financial centre.
“8 Seconds To Glory,” Shane R.L. Sutherland, 2000. This sculpture is one of serval located along downtown’s Barclay Mall (3rd Street) that links Stephen Avenue Walk with Prince’s Island. It was part of The Stone Sculptor’s Guild of North America’s summer project funded by Calgary Downtown Association and Calgary Parks and Recreation.
“between the earth & the sky, measuring the immeasurable” Jacqueline Metz and Nancy Chew, Bankers Hall, 2004.
The aritists’ website describes the piece as “Evoking the natural world through abstractions, placing an iconic figure within a mythological landscape - reflection on the reductive orders imposed on the land - and on the complex order inherent in nature.”
Tribute To Land by Irene Whittome is also locate on Bankers Hall’s southwest plaza on 9th Ave SW.
The inspiration for this piece springs from ancient mythology that the turtle is the principal life giving form. According to Native American culture, this island of land supported by the turtle’s back became North America and known as “Great Turtle Island.”
A second piece by Metz & Chew, is located at the Waterfront condos next to Sien Lok Park. 2018. coyote & moongate is “Two inter-related components draw the viewer along a path. coyote is a totemic figure, wild, and at the same time, urban. His head is turned to look back towards Sien Lok Park – drawing our awareness towards the park which is framed through a richly coloured gateway - a play on the traditional moongate of chinese gardens. The deep yellow is auspicious and bright. moongate’s inner edge is shaped like a dragon – as you pass through you meet him eye to eye. Approaching from the park the gateway is a mirror reflecting the sky, the park, and you.” from metzchew website.
Colette Whiten, Paul Kipps and Jack Diamond's 1988 sculpture "Olympic Arch” in front of the Physical Education complex. The arch is a huge plate of steel, bowed up in the center seemingly by the efforts of the four life-sized bronze humans on either side pushing and lifting. The tension reflects the struggles and efforts not only of athletes, but all humans.
The arch sculpture has had three homes - originally it was at the entrance to the Winter Olympic athletes’ village on the University of Calgary campus, then it was moved to downtown’s Eau Claire Plaza, before landing at its current location as part of the university’s 25th anniversary in 1991.
Is there a political statement here? Are the figures competing against each other - or are they cooperating towards the same goal? The piece might even foreshadow the current struggles Calgary’s oil & gas companies are encountering to build or expand pipelines – the arch being the pipeline. Ironically, the piece is also known as the Trans Canada Pipeline Arch, in reference to the company who commissioned piece.
“Ascension” by INCIPIO MODO, 2012. These two alien creatures can be found emerging from between the Avatamsaka Monastery and Catholic Board of Education onto Poetic Park (corner of 4th Ave and 9th St SW). At 50 feet by 100 feet, it might be Calgary’s smallest park.
Flying Dream, Kevan Leycraft, 1990 This artwork is a tribute to Leonardo da Vinci who conceived the idea of an ornithopter (an aircraft that flaps its wings to fly) over 500 years ago.
“Alberta’s Dream” 2012, Jaume Plensa. This statue ihidden behind The Bow office tower is a bronze self-portrait of Plensa hugging a tree with his skin tattooed with the names of dozens of Alberta cities is an obvious sarcastic statement about Alberta. Alberta is a small player in the world’s energy economy, but dreams of being a big player. And, Alberta can only dream about being environmentally friendly as its economy is almost totally based on fossil fuels. Ironically the patron for the artwork was two major oil & gas companies - Encana and Cenovus.
'“Wonderland” Jaume Plensa 2012. This 12-metre high sculpture is located an the plaza entrance to the The Bow office tower. The white head of a young girl portrays a sense of the innocence and transparency youth, which could easily be a metaphor for Caglary a young city that in many ways is also innocent compare to big cities.
The plaza is a popular place to meet friend or just sit and soak up the sun. And yes, there is an opening at the base of the head so you can walk inside.
“By the Banks of the Bow” by Bob Spaith and Rich Roenisch is one of the largest sculpture installations in North America. It consists of 15 horses and two cowboys and weights !4,500 pounds. It celebrates the role of the horse in the Calgary history - First Nations, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, ranchers, farmers, prospectors and adventurers. It is becomes a huge children’s playground at Stampede with hundreds of kids climbing all over the horses. It is my favourite public artwork in Calgary for this reason.
Last Word
if you want to learn more about Calgary’s public art here are some links to other blogs that you might find interesting.
University of Calgary’s Public Art Gets No Respect
Calgary developers love pubic art!