Stolen dinos, giant spiders and burnt coats: a look at memorable public art fiascos
OTTAWA — A recent dino nap in Ottawa’s Chinatown was just the latest in a series of incidents that have left people in Canada’s capital agitated over public art.
Three people ripped a cartoonish purple dinosaur statue, part of a four-month-old art installation, off the sidewalk in late June.
They returned the hostage last week after police got involved, but other parts of Chinatown BIA’s “selfie station” project have also been victims of neighborhood harassment – such as a yellow dino that disappeared earlier this year.
Pandas have also disappeared and Logger Vick, a character from the popular Chinese cartoon Boonie Bears, has been beheaded.
The dinosaur crime saga came as Ottawans shrieked over a new National Capital Commission art installation made from ripped tires.
The piece, called When Rubber Meets Road, depicts a large crow symbolizing roadkill.
But is Ottawa really chasing the market for the nation’s wackiest public art—or its most unusual responses to it?
Here’s a look at some of the most memorable moments Canadian public art has caused a stir in recent years.
A spider on the wall in Vancouver
In March, a giant metal spider appeared under an overpass in East Vancouver.
The city was quick to label the spider artwork “not approved” and attempted to remove it from under the high-traffic bridge, as the spider terrified commuters.
The creator of the arachnid, artist Junko Playtime, ran a social media campaign to “help save spidey!”
By this time, the artwork had received significant attention and public support.
In April, Vancouver County. Peter Meiszner, who was interviewed by the BBC about the spin controversy, announced that the city would temporarily keep the artwork named “Phobia” standing.
A silver trap in Edmonton
A 26-year-old man became trapped in Edmonton’s Talus Dome after climbing the screen and falling through an opening in April.
Wakeem Courtoreille was trapped in the public art installation made up of more than 1,000 metal balls for about an hour and a half until firefighters rescued him.
He told the media that he “just wanted to go on an adventure”.
After trying to climb out of the frame three times, firefighters were forced to use the “Jaws of Life” – a rescue tool typically used in extracting people from car accidents.
Courtoreille was later arrested and charged with mischief in excess of $5,000.
A tribute to Toronto real estate
It’s hard to miss the 7.5-foot statue of a creepy white-collar man clutching a towering condominium tower.
The artwork was installed in 2019 outside – you guessed it – a Toronto apartment building on St. Clair West Avenue.
It sparked many conversations among Toronto residents seeking deeper meaning. Was it a visual representation of the zoning variance under Ontario’s Planning Act offered to developers in exchange for community benefits such as public art?
Or was it a metaphor for “the dominance of a certain class over society that is supposed to be diverse and multicultural,” as one Twitter user put it shortly after installation?
For some, it was just plain ugly.
A playful wave in Halifax
Halifax’s infamous “Wave” has long been treated as more of a jungle gym than a public art show.
A sign in front of the statue that reads “Please don’t get on the wave” is often ignored, with children climbing the waterside statue and sliding back down the slippery surface.
A 2013 petition drafted by resident Ian Palmer, who came to be known as “Wave Dad”, urged the municipal government to add security measures to the six-foot building.
The plea went viral and drew strong backlash, with many criticizing #wavedad on Twitter for wanting the changes.
Despite the controversy, the wave remains unchanged – and is still used as a slide.
A hot mess in Calgary
A woman’s coat was burned by Calgary’s 2013 “Wishing Well” art show while standing next to the reflective structure.
The $600,000 stainless steel sculpture, similar to Chicago’s infamous “The Bean,” set Nimrodel Donahue’s garment ablaze, the Calgary Herald reported in 2014.
The piece was stored in a warehouse until last year and covered in heat-sealed plastic, for what were described as security reasons.
The heat-seeking structure was then reinstalled on a shadier Calgary corner.
City officials claimed it wouldn’t burn spectators this time because of a non-reflective coating on the interior.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on July 8, 2023.
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This story was produced with the financial support of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
