New public art unveiled outside of expanded BMO Centre at Stampede Park
Visitors to Stampede Park will notice a new statue outside the redeveloped BMO Centre.
Gerry Judah's artwork, called Spirit of Water, has been successfully installed in front of the newly-expanded building, which officially opens on June 5.
The blue sculpture stands 70 feet tall and 45 feet wide, and weighs 112,000 pounds. It's comprised of 211 vertical steel tubes ranging in diameter from 6.5 inches to seven feet.
The Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) says Spirit of Water embodies the power and vitality of water, symbolizing its dynamic movement and fluidity.
"This monumental sculpture serves as a testament to the power of public art in shaping vibrant and inclusive communities," said CMLC spokesperson Clare LePan.
"The sculpture's grand scale and striking design will captivate viewers."
The sculpture sits in the BMO Centre's nearly 100,000-square-foot plaza.
"Creating Spirit of Water has been a deeply rewarding experience, and I am honoured to see it come to life in the heart of Calgary," artist Gerry Judah said in a news release.
"My hope is that this sculpture will inspire viewers to reflect on the beauty and power of water, while also serving as a symbol of unity and connection within the community."
Gerry Judah’s 'Spirit of Water' at the BMO Centre expansion is comprised of 211 vertical steel tubes ranging in diameter from 6.5 inches to seven feet. (CMLC) Spirit of Water was engineered by Diales, fabricated in the UK, and assembled and installed in Calgary by Littlehampton Welding Ltd with local assistance from Heavy.
It was commissioned by CMLC and the Calgary Stampede.
The design of 'Spirit of Water' features pure steel and air, seamlessly integrated to create a visually stunning composition. (CMLC) "This piece joins our 14-piece outdoor public art collection, stewarded by our volunteer Public Art Committee, as well as 85 additional pieces we’ve just installed in the interior of the expansion, with art from an impressive array of artists from across southern Alberta," said Kerri Souriol, Calgary Stampede’s vice-president of park development and major projects.
"The awe-inspiring Spirit of Water not only celebrates Calgary’s connection to water and reflects the dynamic spirit of our city and its people, but it will also act as a destination for visitors in our community and around the world to gather at Stampede Park."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau to announce temporary GST relief on select items heading into holidays
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will announce a two-month GST relief on select items heading into holidays to address affordability issues, sources confirm to CTV News.
'Ding-dong-ditch' prank leads to kidnapping, assault charges for Que. couple
A Saint-Sauveur couple was back in court on Wednesday, accused of attacking a teenager over a prank.
Border agency detained dozens of 'forced labour' cargo shipments. Now it's being sued
Canada's border agency says it has detained about 50 shipments of cargo over suspicions they were products of forced labour under rules introduced in 2020 — but only one was eventually determined to be in breach of the ban.
'It changed my life': Montreal-area woman learning how to walk after being hit by stray bullet
A 24-year-old woman is learning how to walk again after being shot while lying in her bed in Repentigny, Que.
DEVELOPING International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Hamas officials
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza and the October 2023 attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in the Palestinian territory.
Genetic evidence backs up COVID-19 origin theory that pandemic started in seafood market
A group of researchers say they have more evidence to suggest the COVID-19 pandemic started in a Chinese seafood market where it spread from infected animals to humans. The evidence is laid out in a recent study published in Cell, a scientific journal, nearly five years after the first known COVID-19 outbreak.
Donald Trump picks former U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has nominated former diplomat and U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra to be the American ambassador to Canada.
REVIEW 'Gladiator II' review: Come see a man fight a monkey; stay for Denzel's devious villain
CTV film critic Richard Crouse says the follow-up to Best Picture Oscar winner 'Gladiator' is long on spectacle, but short on soul.
Alabama to use nitrogen gas to execute man for 1994 slaying of hitchhiker
An Alabama prisoner convicted of the 1994 murder of a female hitchhiker is slated Thursday to become the third person executed by nitrogen gas.