By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON January 29, 2013 Did you know that CoBALT Connects is the managing partner of the City of Burlington’s public art program? They are! And they are going to be “on hand this Thursday and Sunday at various Burlington locations with New Brunswick artist Peter Powning as he makes “Cultural Mulch” with the community’s prized possessions, turning those objects’ outlines into the bronze cast that will form the facade of his piece.
Jeremy Freiburger, the media friendly maestro who sent us this information about the Cultural Mulch might be the only person in the room – along with the artist of course, who we are looking forward to meeting.
The city does not appear to have spent as much as a dime promoting this event.
The Spiral Stella sculpture that is going to be placed outside the Performing Arts Centre is going to be around for at least 100 years – if this world lasts that long. Tens of thousands of people will look at it and see what we thought was important to us as a community to tell the story of our past.
Powning wants to take artifacts the people of Burlington bring in – make a mold and then a casting that will be used in the sculpture.
There have to be hundreds of people who have “stuff” in the attics or their basements that artist Peter Powning would like to consider.
Touchstone was above all a collaborative community enterprise. My idea of asking the community to take part in creating it’s own narrative was the germ of the project. By providing me with objects and artifacts that had a part in defining Canmore for them personally, people gave me the source material for the bronze relief that is at the core of this sculpture. I wanted to encourage community involvement.
But if people don’t bring out their artifacts – there won’t be anything to make a casting of and nothing for the public of the future to see.
At some point in the future there will be a tourist standing in front of the sculpture and asking: “Is that all this city has to show us about their past?”
Burlington has this annoying habit of getting the Mayor out there to have his picture taken every time there is a donation or an award being given. Last night he was at a table signing the Freeman Station Joint Venture document – a project he really didn’t get behind. At least we didn’t hear him say very much when the Friends of Freeman Station (FOFS) were struggling to find a home for the structure.
Peter Powning on site in Canmore, Alberta where he installed touch stone, a sculpture along the same lines as the planned work for Burlington.
Powning will be in Burlington so dig through the keep-sakes trunk and bring an object that matters to you. It’s a great way to be a part of the artistic process and to either contribute an object, or simply watch the process in action. Objects will not be damaged in the process, and will be returned after the mold is cast (about five minutes).
Sessions are on:
Thursday, January 31st: Burlington Public Library, Central Branch, 10 am to 3 pm
Thursday, January 31st: Burlington Performing Arts Centre, 7 pm to 9 pm
Sunday, February 3rd: Burlington Art Centre, 2 pm to 4 pm
At some point in the future there will be a tourist standing in front of the sculpture and asking: “Is that all this city has to show us about their past?”
They might also say, “Why is the artist from Canmore, Alberta? Did he live here previously? Was this creative community so depleted that it had to contract out-of-province? Is public art just an open-air version of home decor?”