Public art selected for New Central Library
Giant ‘drinking bird’ and fish mosaic to be featured at New Central branch
An outdoor three-piece sculpture modelled on a giant “drinking bird” and an interior mosaic of books creating an image of a fish have been chosen as public art for Calgary’s New Central Library.
The Calgary Municipal Land Corp., which announced the project Thursday, said installation of the works by artist Christian Moeller will begin in August.
The selection process for the art started in 2014 with a request for qualifications, the CMLC said. It received more than 200 applications from artists around the world and narrowed it down to a list of 35. A volunteer art committee consisting of a community resident, an artist and representative of ACAD, a Glenbow Museum curator, a Calgary Public Library representative and a Calgary Arts Development representative then came up with a shortlist.
Moeller was selected in April 2015 from a list of five finalists. His installations will include a threepiece sculpture on the library’s east and west outdoor plazas, with each piece standing nine to 10 metres tall. The pieces will move like a pendulum.
“Reminiscent of a cross between a hockey player and a ‘drinking bird,’ they perform a visual dialogue or choreography, rocking their tall upper bodies like upside-down pendulums swinging through the open sky,” a description of the art indicates.
An interior “book wall” featuring nearly 11,000 books in 12 colours will create the image of a fish.
“Christian’s art reflects the innovative nature of this project and complements our vision to create an inspiring place,” Bill Ptacek, CEO of Calgary Public Library, said in a news release.
“Beyond their intrinsic artistic merit, his works will reinforce the identity of the New Central Library experience by bringing an enchanting and whimsical experience that will captivate the imagination of children and visitors of all ages.”
The budget for the public art program is $2 million, the CMLC said.
“The budget for the commission was guided by the city’s public art policy, which includes a ‘per cent for public art’ strategy for funding the acquisition, administration and management of public art in Calgary,” the news release stated.
Moeller lives in Los Angeles, where he is a professor in the department of design media arts at UCLA. Moeller studied architecture at the College of Applied Sciences in Frankfurt, Germany, and under Gustav Peichl at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, the CMLC said. His work has been featured in cities including Edmonton, Los Angeles, Denver and Tokyo.
The new library is scheduled to open Nov. 1.