Installed in 2009, The Drop is a 65 foot tall bright blue sculpture resembling a raindrop, which is…read morevery appropriate for Vancouver, a city known for its rainy weather. It's by the German group Inges Idee, which is composed of four artists, Hans Hemmert, Axel Lieber, Thomas Schmidt, and George Zey. It's located in Coal Harbour beside the Convention Centre at the Bon Voyage Plaza (I had no idea that there was a specific name for the plaza!), where one can watch the cruise ships arrive and depart. [Yelp collections: Public Art]

Oh, how I love this sculpture!…read more It is both whimsical and serious, literal and abstracted, colorful yet depicting water which is known to be clear.... in other words, it presents a dichotomy or two, spanning categories and allegories, and to me, this is what makes this piece successful. It caters to the sensibilities of people who have vastly differing tastes in art: it appeals to people who prefer more literal depictions of subject matters and to those who prefer more modern, contemporary and even more minimalist abstractions. Furthermore, it is well-suited and grounded in its element, paying homage to Vancouver's rainy season(s), its reliance and location by the ocean, and the city's historical dependence on marine industries and water-dependent agricultural industries (not to mention, the human need for water). The site chosen for this piece's installation could not be more perfect: right along the waterfront, across from the "sails" of Canada Place, with the inlet beside it and the glorious Stanley Park forests just east and the mountains just north providing picturesque backdrops. As a humorous aside, whenever I see this tall, slender, blue raindrop, I personally also see a teardrop, as I tend to be sad when the rains come, and the skies are grey and it's so...dreary. So this raindrop can also be interpreted as a teardrop for those of us who have SAD (seasonal affective disorder) lol.

Lots of artwork and sculptures throughout Vancouver and this piece is easy to spot on the north…read moreside of the road at the eastern entrance to Stanley Park. Created by artist Rodney Graham from Abbotsford Canada and working in Vancouver. The sculpture is a nod to model gliders though it looks like the assembler wasn't following the instructions. That's intentional and the artist's statement points out, "I put the models together not with a view to having them fly correctly, but with an eye to their aesthetic value as purely abstract sculptural forms." [Review 20879 overall - 56 in British Columbia - 1863 of 2023.]

Located between Georgia Street (at the entrance to Stanley Park) and the seawall just east of Lost…read moreLagoon (by the Georgia Street overpass), and visible by the road (in case you're driving north on Georgia, entering the Park or going to the Lion's Gate bridge), is this imposing, contemporary sculpture that resembles a mangled glider of sorts. Created by Rodney Graham in 2010, the work was inspired by components of toy glider kits that were incorrectly assembled by the artist for their quirky aesthetic appeal. To me, the work has a 1960's meant-to-be-futuristic Jetson's vibe that is humorous and whimsical and simultaneously serious in a semi-scientific, engineering-esque retro way. To me, it is enigmatic in this way. Whenever I pass this work (which is often!), I keep expecting the propeller at the top to rotate with the wind. I personally love kinetic sculptures, so I am biased: for me, I wish this work was kinetic and the top propellor moved. This work seems to call for actual movement and the piece would be more successful (to me, anyhow) if it engaged with the environment in this way. I love how the base of this piece is modeled after a toy model airplane base, complete with its cheap looking plaque that resembles a plastic sticker plastered on the base with the work's title. I also like the sculptures' toy-like components: red button wheels on high, green and white checkered plane tail, plastic-looking red propeller, blue "rubber bank" holding the various pieces together, etc. Very childish and toy-like and fun.

One of the many aspects I like about Vancouver is how art is all around us, at all times. Sometimes…read moreit's hidden in plain sight. Such is the case of the "Balloon Dogs" sculpture, by Ron Simmons. I'm sure, like me, most of you have passed the Queen Elizabeth Theater, or have even attended shows or concerts here, never noticing the contemporary pipe-like dog sculptures outside, overhead, on top of the eave of the theater (on the side of the ticket window, by the bus stop and benches). This pack of sculptural balloon dogs is whimsical public art at its best. Very reminiscent of the works of famous pop art sculptor Jeff Koons, Vancouver artist Simms created bright red and silver shiny dog sculptures that resemble the kind of dogs that balloon artists make, except Simms's are made of metal and are life-size (well, each is about the size of medium terrier). If you don't look up at the entrance to the Theater, you'd never see these dog sculptures on high. But once you notice them, you will always look for them, as they are riveting! I love these dogs. I love that they are semi-hidden. Once you see them, you feel like you're a treasure hunter who's found some real gems on the beach where most others are simply walking around and playing in the sand, oblivious to the treasures at their feet. I love how these dogs are so bright, so shiny, so childish in their purity. What can be more childish than balloon dogs? They're just happy art pieces. Next time you walk by the Queen E, look up!

6/3/26 Conveniently…read morelocated and fun to experience! Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen a totem pole.. I enjoyed reading the history behind each totem pole and what they represented.. Bathrooms are clean and available..

A beautiful stop along the Coal Harbour waterfront. The Totem Poles offer a glimpse into the rich…read moreIndigenous history and culture of the Pacific Northwest while providing a picturesque backdrop of Vancouver's harbor, mountains, and skyline. The area is clean, easy to access, and perfect for a leisurely walk or a quick photo opportunity. We enjoyed reading about the significance of the carvings and taking in the peaceful atmosphere along the seawall. Worth a stop if you're exploring Coal Harbour or walking between Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver.

"Watch yOUR Step" is an art installation of mosaics, located by the Roundhouse Community Center (on…read morea half wall, facing the community center building, on the Pacific Boulevard side, at the corner of Davie Street), as well as an installation of tiles embedded in the ground in David Lam Park. These tiles and mosaic pieces were created by community street youth, and the work was installed in 2002. I am partial to more contemporary and abstract art myself, but I find these mosaic tiles charming, with their juvenile cheeriness and bright colors, conveying a youthful optimism and positivity. And these child-made installations are appropriately grounded in the context of a community center and a park, where children play and laugh and run. I particularly appreciate these colorful works on those drearier, rainy Vancouver days when the city seems bathed in grayness. They are happy, in the way that primitive art appeals to most people: they require no interpretation, they are bright and smile-inducing, and people from young to elderly "get it".

Loved working with leah on the cathedral square project. My wife and I worked on that while we were…read morein Vancouver. So proud that it is still there and looking lovely. Glad to see people appreciating the art and the meaning.

The City of Vancouver, as part of its every-other-year Biennale, commissions artists to bring their…read morecreativity to the city. Installed in March 2015 in eastern Vancouver, the Trans-Am Totem has quickly become the great BC city's must-sees. I won't get into all the possible interpretations and grad-schooleque "merging of consumerism and nature" or "metaphor of recurring consumerism" or "throwaway consumer culture" talk and just give a run-down. Located near the Georgia Viaduct, Vancouver artist Marcus Bowcott has given us a 33-foot (10 m)-high, 25,000-pound (11,340 kg) sculpture. Simply put, it's a stump of an old-growth cedar tree topped with five cars. At the top is the car that gives this sculpture its name: a 1981 Pontiac Trans Am. Then there's a BMW 7 Series, a Honda Civic, a Volkswagen Golf Mk1 Cabriolet, and a Mercedes-Benz ... all donated by a local scrapyard. While the Trans Am Totem is perfectly viewable while driving down the road, I highly recommend parking and viewing it up close and personal ... it really accentuates the experience. Its location on a grassy median where Pacific Boulevard turns into Quebec Street does not make up-close viewing ideal, but well worth the extra effort. One of great things about modern art is the capability of grand scope ... it took gigantic moving trucks to get everything here and cranes with a construction crew to get it all in place. It's a real site to see!

I pass this sculpture regularly and, like Seattle's "Freemont Troll" or "Gum Alley", this towering…read moretotem pole is definitely a whimsical oddity of sorts, one that people either love or detest. Personally, I love it. I think it funky and odd and comical. Until fairly recently, the headlights on the uppermost vehicle lit up at night. I'm not sure why they no longer do so, but I hope the City fixes this minor issue, as this feature truly enhances the novelty of the work when viewed at nighttime. I've read a few articles about this piece in the past year. I had no idea how controversial this totem pole was; many people take offense at the use of an indigenous people's symbol (the totem pole), used in a contemporary, artsy, funky way. I guess it's not PC to use indigenous symbols in art in this way. I guess this work is polarizing (emphasis on "pole" - get it? My weak attempt at humor here!). In my opinion, any artwork worth its weight in salt elicits dialogue and conversation and debate. In this way, I think this work is successful. Another note to pass on: I read that this totem pole is going to be moved this year to another location (as yet to be decided). So if you're interested in checking this eclectic piece out, I'd recommend doing so soon before it's moved to God-knows-where.

It's hard to believe this sculpture hasn't yet been reviewed, it's so iconic in Vancouver…read more Situated prominently in the grassy strip to the east of the seawall at Sunset Beach is this fabulous sculpture/art installation comprised of two humongous rings propped on their sides and angled slightly away from each other. These aluminum rings are 30 feet high (so tall! You can't miss them, whether you're walking on the seawall or driving down Beach Avenue). Where diamonds would be on top are, instead, large plexiglass translucent houses that actually light up at night! The piece is so effective, and fun, in a real "pop art" way: showcasing a common, everyday object in a different way, elevating it to another level. Interestingly, this sculpture was initially installed here in 2005, coinciding with the same-sex marriage debates taking place in Canada. Knowing this brings a whole 'nother discussion to the table about this work (and I think the more there is to talk about art, the more successful the piece is). I personally love this piece. It can be enjoyed on a basic, non-interpretive, what-you-see-is-what-you-get level, or it can be appreciated on a deeper level (What does engagement and commitment and marriage mean to you, the viewer? Does it mean anything that the rings are angled away from each other? Is it meant to say anything about same sex marriages? Etc.). I see couples often taking their engagement photos at the base of this sculpture, and tourists posing by it, and I see kids often playing by it, and families picnicking by it, so I know this piece is super popular. And with very good reason.

Spring is the iconic red sculpture at Robson Square in downtown Vancouver. By artist Alan Chung…read moreHung (who also did the Gate to the Northwest Passage sculpture at Vanier Park), it was installed in 1981. Having lived in Vancouver all my life, it's a sculpture that I am very familiar with, one that my siblings and I would play in and climb on, but until today, I had no idea what it was called. I was inspired by my friend Nancy H. to find out about the sculpture and write a review (yay, I beat her to be FTR!), and today, I finally had the opportunity, as I was passing by it on my way to the gym. Four stars bumped up to five, because I loved climbing on it as a child, and it's pretty cool looking. [Yelp collections: Public Art]