"Boat Sight" 2 of 2
Boat Sight Sculpture - 1984 - By John McEwen, Ontario.
This area in Gatineau, Quebec is one of my favourite areas in the region. The cycle path through here is beautiful, and despite following the river, quite hilly - making for a fun ride. This is our usual 'rest' area, where we stop for a snack and a drink and admire this public art and the Ottawa skyline on the other side of the river. I had always wondered about these sculptures, and so today, when we got home I looked them up. Reading the artist's description of this piece, it all makes perfect sense!
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“Boat Sight is near the historic portage area of the Chaudière district. For hundreds of years, this place was used by Indigenous peoples, fur traders, and explorers to portage as they travelled the Ottawa River. John McEwen, a well-known Canadian artist, created Boat Sight in 1984. It was commissioned specifically for Portageurs Park.
Boat Sight symbolizes the meeting or intersection between culture and nature. Its location next to a pulp and paper mill creates associations with the modern, industrial world. The ship coming in from the river to land suggests the arrival of culture to a natural setting. Meanwhile, the dogs and wolves, which symbolize nature, respond to the boat’s arrival with fear and curiosity. The ship’s frame is imposing. Through its silhouette, you can see the sky and river… as well as the dam and industrial buildings. McEwen made the ship’s frame and the animals out of sandblasted steel plates, a frequently used industrial material.
Boat Sight sits on a terrace of limestone and brick. The artist wanted the ship to appear as though it were lying on a dry river bed at the foot of the dam.
McEwen’s public art is on display in major cities across Canada, and his artwork has been exhibited internationally.”
Source: www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/art-monuments...
"Boat Sight" 2 of 2
Boat Sight Sculpture - 1984 - By John McEwen, Ontario.
This area in Gatineau, Quebec is one of my favourite areas in the region. The cycle path through here is beautiful, and despite following the river, quite hilly - making for a fun ride. This is our usual 'rest' area, where we stop for a snack and a drink and admire this public art and the Ottawa skyline on the other side of the river. I had always wondered about these sculptures, and so today, when we got home I looked them up. Reading the artist's description of this piece, it all makes perfect sense!
--
“Boat Sight is near the historic portage area of the Chaudière district. For hundreds of years, this place was used by Indigenous peoples, fur traders, and explorers to portage as they travelled the Ottawa River. John McEwen, a well-known Canadian artist, created Boat Sight in 1984. It was commissioned specifically for Portageurs Park.
Boat Sight symbolizes the meeting or intersection between culture and nature. Its location next to a pulp and paper mill creates associations with the modern, industrial world. The ship coming in from the river to land suggests the arrival of culture to a natural setting. Meanwhile, the dogs and wolves, which symbolize nature, respond to the boat’s arrival with fear and curiosity. The ship’s frame is imposing. Through its silhouette, you can see the sky and river… as well as the dam and industrial buildings. McEwen made the ship’s frame and the animals out of sandblasted steel plates, a frequently used industrial material.
Boat Sight sits on a terrace of limestone and brick. The artist wanted the ship to appear as though it were lying on a dry river bed at the foot of the dam.
McEwen’s public art is on display in major cities across Canada, and his artwork has been exhibited internationally.”
Source: www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/art-monuments...