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Multiplex art piece chosen

The $100,000 public art commission for the future Multiplex in Canmore has been awarded to New Brunswick artist Peter Powning.

The $100,000 public art commission for the future Multiplex in Canmore has been awarded to New Brunswick artist Peter Powning.

The winning piece was chosen by a jury and overseen by the Community Public Art Committee, which invited three finalists from a nation-wide competition to visit Canmore as part of the process.

Entitled Touchstone, it is a 30-foot tall sculpture made with stone, cast bronze and 316-stainless steel.

“The intent of the sculpture is to produce an iconic sculpture of a scale that has impact from a distance, but which also provides an intimate experience up close,” said Powning. “It honours Canmore’s history, natural environment, culture and identity.”

The four-foot square base built with stone will showcase the local area’s geography and Powning will work with local stone mason Steve Hjorleifson on that portion.

The mid-section is exciting, said arts and culture supervisor Chris Bartolomie, as it will engage the community to participate in its creation and sit at eye level.

Community members will be invited to provide small historical artifacts Powning can make impressions from for inclusion in the cast-bronze section of the piece.

Bartolomie said she expects the artist to return in spring to engage the community and collect these pieces.

The upper portion of the spire sculpture will be stainless steel with silhouettes of flying birds and in particular golden eagles and ravens cut through the metal. It is expected to reflect the sky, patterns of cloud and light and changing hues as the day progresses.

“The idea is it will look awesome from a distance and as you come closer you will be able to have a relationship with it,” Bartolomie said. “It is obvious Peter paid attention while he was here.”


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