A 36' long canoe made of raw sparkling aluminum, cradled and suspended in seven green reeds, 36' tall. Bright red seed pods top the reeds and lie in the canoe.
The canoe is a uniquely Canadian icon evoking not only connection with the wilderness but also with the history of exploration and commerce in Canada. Canoes have traveled along the shores of Vancouver Island for thousands of years, supporting a commerce that flourished in our natural harbour long before colonization made Bastion Square Victoria's early business centre and linked British Columbia with the rest of the world.
The Commerce Canoe celebrates this heritage and serves as a beacon to people coming to the City Centre. Though peaceful and classic in impression, the work is dynamic rather than static in the balance of these elements. The reeds appear to have been pushed aside by the movement of the canoe. This artwork allows the viewer to be in the water, part of the teeming life and current above which the quiet canoe floats. The interactions between the artwork and the viewer symbolizes a broader dynamic between the strengths and vision of the individual and the will of the collective.