December 22, 2009

Weird Vancouver Artwork

Every city in the world has a selection of truly bizarre sculptures scattered throughout them, and Vancouver is no different. As either art grants or company tax write offs or commemorations, this town is littered with artwork; some of it original, some of it pretentious and some of it just weird and unexpected.

Like this 1/2 scale cast of a supply shack that used to be on the banks on Burrard Inlet. Its made out of aluminum right down to replica barnacles and clams. And of course its on stilts to keep it out of the water like the original was... and then also on the sidewalk.
And how could a city commemorate anything if they didn't celebrate the turn of the century bartenders that made it all possible? Gastown is home to this somewhat vandalized statue of 'Gassy Jack' who is famous for starting a pub there and marrying his 12 year old niece after his wife died.And this bit of Buck Rogers weirdness is a replica of one displayed in 1936 to celebrate the 50th birthday of Vancouver as envisioned by the Sheet Metal Workers union. Because Vancouver is nothing if not a 50s style sci-fi rocket.

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