Location: The Esplanade at Yonge
Date photo taken: 12 May 2021
Through the Percent for Public Art Program, the City of Toronto encourages the inclusion of art in new developments across the city. Sometimes these art works are placed inside or add subtle interest to courtyards or passageways. That can be nice but I really love it when a work makes its presence felt. Eagle V.1 by sculptor Dean Drever definitely falls into this latter category. It's huge and it graces a thin portion of wall adjacent to Yonge Street. That means that there are great sightlines, but it also means that you can appreciate this piece from a variety of angles and distances (here it is seen from further away). I find that its character, or the effect on the viewer, changes depending on where you are. The eagle may be a protector of peace but it's also a mighty predator and standing this close, you can't help but feel a bit like prey.
Fabricated by Lafontaine Iron Werks Inc. from designs by Drever, the giant bird is made of aluminum, fibreglass, polyurea/polyurethane hybrid and lacquer, and painted to match the stonework of the building. It was installed in 2018. The artist's statement can be read here.
No comments:
Post a Comment