Passage in Time: Art In the Public Space

Shards of Time

Meeting Place Sculpture

This proposal is based on the immensely rich historical and archaeological heritage of the area as well as its position along the harbour, where the river meets the bay and inhabitants have congregated over millennia.

Our concept is to use the form of an ancient artifact to represent the depth of time that humans have been present in this vicinity - so-called "Paleo-Indian" peoples inhabited these shores perhaps as long as 11,000 years ago, and artifacts found near this site may date from that period. We will use a fragmented, reconstructed vessel form (e.g. bowl shape) emerging from the ground like a half-exposed archaeological find. The various shards of the partially reassembled vessel will include on their surface actual impressions of objects from the material cultures of past inhabitants up to the modern era - from stone tools to cell phones.

This concept allows us to produce an exciting contemporary sculpture that will act as a canvas for historical material without being didactic or predictably representational. Encounters with this sculpture will allow in-depth investigation of the "historical mulch" of human occupation, as viewers discover impressions of artifacts including tools, domestic paraphernalia, shoes, clothing, crests, badges, coins, medals, a sextant, and fragments of larger objects. These will be organized by historical period on various "shards." The shards will be placed chronologically, in order to provide an historical narrative. Some shards will be missing, representing gaps in our knowledge and understanding of the distant past. Many of the items represented in relief on the sculpture might be found in the New Brunswick Museum. A web site with a catalogue of the objects included and a bit of their history will be developed in conjunction with this project. It will also include images of the process of making the sculpture from beginning to end. This sculpture will present many varied educational opportunities.

The sculpture represents the sweep of human presence. It will itself be a meeting place, encompassing a space traversed by a footpath, where people will have encounters with each other as well as with the sculpture and its wealth of detail. It will be a destination, a locale, a meeting place.

We also propose that there be an active community element in this project. We will be asking people to come to us (perhaps at the NB Museum) with small historical artifacts that we can make impressions from, or sketch, for inclusion in the fabric of the piece. Community involvement helps to foster community interest, understanding, and acceptance of public art. It would make sense to precede installation of this piece with media events emphasizing the participatory nature of the project, the derivation of its form, and its local historical basis. This will be an accessible sculpture.

This proposal relies on a team approach using the talents of quite a number of highly qualified individuals and the services of local companies. We are excited about the potential this project presents. This concept is meant to pay tribute to all who went before us in a comprehensible and meaningful way.

Peter Powning