by Richard White
I am often stumped when someone asks, “What’s your favourite Calgary public artwork?” It’s a difficult question—there are thousands to choose from, with new ones added almost every month. First, I ask, “Do you mean mural, statue, sculpture, or installation?” When I think “public artwork,” I usually picture something sculptural—traditional or modern, perhaps with multiple elements.
Recently, while browsing my photo library, one downtown Calgary sculpture stood out: Jill Anholt’s Emergent. It’s a strange, ribbon-like wooden sculpture at the corner of 1 St and 9 Ave SW, on the plaza of The Edison (formerly the Pan Canadian office building), across from the historic Fairmont Palliser Hotel and Grain Exchange buildings.
I like it because it is both interactive and functional—I’m a sucker for public art that invites exploration. With Emergent, there are three spots along the undulating ribbon where you can sit and people-watch or wait to meet someone. It also looks like the ribbon has been cut in one place, with two ends emerging from the ground. Inside the cut pieces are two larger-than-life vertical mirrors that reflect the surrounding buildings in fun, distorted ways. They create great photo opportunities for locals, tourists, and street photographers.
The title Emergent adds another layer. The word means “in the process of becoming prominent” or “something taller than what surrounds it.” At first, this seemed ironic, since the surrounding buildings tower over it. But the mirrors reflect Calgary’s towers rising from the flat prairies—perhaps a subtle nod to Calgary’s growth as Western Canada’s major financial and business centre over the past 50 years. Or even its emergence as one of North America’s notable art centres—think Glenbow, National Music Centre, Alberta University of the Arts, Mount Royal Music Conservatory, and those thousands of public artworks I mentioned earlier.
A bit of research revealed that Emergent was also inspired by its location near the Canadian Pacific Railway (now Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway) tracks. The railway played a key role in shaping Calgary, determining where the downtown is located today. The wooden slats reference railway ties, and a track is embedded in the wood. The vertical mirrors are angled to reflect iconic buildings in the area—the Calgary Tower, the Palliser Hotel, the Grain Exchange Building, and Calgary’s tallest building, Brookfield Place.
The sculpture was manufactured by Heavy, a Calgary-based leader in public art fabrication. They also constructed Jaume Plensa’s Wonderland—the iconic white head at The Bow tower—and are creating the new pillowy panels for the Glenbow’s façade.
For me, Emergent is a favourite because form and function meet to create something playful, useful, and thought-provoking.
Though Anholt lives in Vancouver, Calgary must feel like a second home—she has several other sculptures here:
Marking
Located at The Confluence Park/Fort Calgary, this work consists of carved wood posts outlining the original 1875 Fort Calgary. At night, it glows red, creating an eerie, dreamlike experience.
Below/Before/Between
Located at the 5 Street SW underpass between 9 Ave and 10 Ave, this series of light blue barriers suggests a gentle flow of water—an homage to Calgarians’ love of the Bow and Elbow rivers.
TransitStory
A kinetic installation of 30 life-size human sculptures, fabricated from steel and painted in cheerful colours. As you walk past them, the colours shift, creating a playful experience. You can sit among the figures or admire them from afar. Currently located at the 45 Street LRT Station (they were originally at the Convention Centre Station downtown).
Charged Line
Along the side of the South Calgary Emergency Response Station on 14 Ave SW, five sculptures cleverly resemble dancing fire hoses and also function as lights. The title might reference live electrical wires or, as I see it, hoses flailing from water pressure—a fun, functional piece.
Around the world these days, public art is being embraced as a means of making cities and communities more attractive places to live, play, and work. Calgary is no exception.
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