New Kevin Walters Plaza graced by art with heart
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Digital Subscription
One year of digital access for only $205*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Tears fill the eyes of an Ojibwa sculptor from Peguis First Nation as he talks about the spiritual journey and deep friendships that came out of creating his first public art piece.
Maamaawi Naanaagadawendamowin, which means Gather Your Heart, was created for the new Kevin Walters Plaza that opened June 26 outside the Burton Cummings Theatre. The piece was commissoned by the Winnipeg Arts Council for the City of Winnipeg Public Art Collection.
Artist Fredrick Spence, along with partners Darren Sakwi and Rob Peristy, who fabricated the metal sculpture, were celebrated for their work Tuesday at the plaza.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Barbara Bruce smudges artist Fredrick Spence in front of Maamaawi Naanaagadawendamowin.
“Me, Rob and Darren, we cried together many times during the process of making this. It really took the time, it took all our hearts,” Spence says.
The piece is a drum shaped like a film reel — a nod to the Burt’s history as a movie theatre — with the Seven Grandfather Teachings engraved in it. The film unravels into a cross-legged figure holding up a mallet, which also resembles a bass clef, while the upper body and head of the piece form a treble clef. The musical symbols are apt considering the park’s namesake; the late Kevin Walters was a concert promoter and champion of the local music scene.
The crossed legs twist into an infinity symbol, representing the bond between Métis and First Nations Peoples.
Spence wanted to create a design that represented different pieces of himself, along with things that make the area special to him and other people.
Growing up, Spence would visit the Towne 8 Cinemas adjacent to the plaza for affordable movie nights with his family. Having his artwork beside the now-closed theatre is full circle for Spence and his parents, who watched with tears in their eyes as he shared the story with the crowd.
Spence’s son plays music and inspired the treble and bass clefs; the scultptor also wanted to create something long-lasting his son could eventually show his kids.
The artist says he immediately clicked with Sakwi and Peristy when they first met.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
From left: Darren Sakwi and Rob Peristry of Stainless Concepts and artist Fredrick Spence with their creation, Gather Your Heart
“If it was any other fabricator, I don’t think it would’ve turned out the way it did,” he says.
When Spence first brought forward a small model of the piece, Sakwi and Peristy weren’t sure they could execute it. After thinking on it, they slowly figured out how to make it work, and 500 hours later, they brought Spence’s vision to life.
“It’s time-consuming and it’s painful, but it’s what this piece deserved,” Sakwi says. “It’s not a job at that point, it’s a piece of art and if it’s not to his satisfaction, we’re not satisfied.”
To make the figure, they laminated five pieces of material together and twisted them into shape. He says the hardest part was balancing the needs of the engineer while maintaining Spence’s artistic vision, going through many variations to get it right.
Sakwi and Peristy are the founders of Stainless Concepts, a fabricating business that has worked on several stainless-steel public artworks around the city.
The process of making this sculpture was very spiritual for Sakwi.
“We’ve had many tears at our welding bench. Talking about not just art, but life and the meaning behind life and the importance of family and connection,” he says.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Alie and her son Teddy look at the new public art piece, Gather Your Heart.
Sakwi is also from Peguis First Nation; he and Spence connected over their shared ties to the community.
He wasn’t in touch with his culture growing up, and working with Spence on this project helped him reconnect with that part of himself.
“You can’t put into words how he opens people up,” Sakwi says.
tiago.resko@freepress.mb.ca
