Social media abuzz about Ottawa's new roadkill crow sculpture

A giant crow lying along the LeBreton Flats Pathway in Ottawa's west end is the talk of social media, with reactions ranging from, 'What is it?' and 'you paid someone money for that' to 'I think it's cool" and "interesting for sure."

The National Capital Commission unveiled the new public art along the pathway on Tuesday, called, 'When the Rubber Meets the Road' by PEI artist Gerald Beaulieu.

"Did you know there used to be a landfill at LeBreton Flats?" the NCC said on Twitter. "In line with the #BuildingLeBreton guiding principle of fostering sustainability, this piece is made from recycled tires."

The five metres-long crow lying just off the pathway is made entirely from recycled tires.

"This large crow lies flat on the ground in a manner that resembles roadkill, symbolizing the collision between human and natural works," says the plaque next to the sculpture.

"The crow is made from old tires, which refer to the harm caused by our commuter culture as well as the crow's role as a scavenger of urban waste. The artwork invites us to reflect on how we impact our environment and the creatures that inhabit our shared spaces."

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, the NCC says the one-year rental of the piece cost $14,022.

"The department of Canadian Heritage helped facilitate the project by connecting the NCC with suitable options from drawn from previous public art selection processes," the statement says. "This artwork was submitted by the artist in 2018 as part of a juried evaluation of existing artworks for temporary display in federally managed locations in Canada’s Capital region."

Beaulieu tells CTV News Ottawa his creation is designed to start a conversation.

"The reactions have always run the gauntlet from people being annoyed by it and people absolutely loving it, and that's the best an artist can hope for," Beaulieu said.

The 'When the Rubber Meets the Road' piece uses 50 to 60 tires, and it took Beaulieu a month to create the piece. 

Beaulieu says the piece is about the "risk and rewards" of our interactions with nature.

"The idea behind it was just to address the environmental impact of our society, when it collides with nature," Beaulieu said Wednesday afternoon.

According to Beaulieu's website, the piece has previously been on display during Art in the Open in Charlottetown and the Bonavista Biennale in Port Rexton, NL.

Did you know there used to be a landfill at LeBreton Flats?

In line with the #BuildingLeBreton guiding principle of fostering sustainability, this piece is made from recycled tires:

📏 This crow measures almost 5 meters!
📅 You can see this artwork for the next 12 months pic.twitter.com/bmyrUDu1Om

— National Capital Commission (@NCC_CCN) June 27, 2023

Social media posts by CTV News Ottawa and the National Capital Commission solicited hundreds of comments about the artwork and the federal agency's decision to showcase the work.

"Haters gonna hate," said one comment on the NCC's Instagram page. "Well done NCC clearly creating conversation around this piece."

Another comment on Instagram said, "What an effective work to express such strong reactions from viewers."

"It may be art, but it's also a distraction for drivers and cyclists," a comment on the CTV News Ottawa Facebook page said.

On Twitter, people questioned why the NCC had installed the art piece.

"This makes me sad. It's a dead crow," said one person.

"How much this pile of tires cost the government?" said another comment on Twitter. "Was it just dropped in a field. I am not an art connoisseur but what is it?"

One comment said, "April 1 was a couple of months ago."

"Looks like a dead bird," said former Coun. Alex Cullen.

One Twitter comment said they will need to check it out in person.

"It’s probably more impactful in person, like much great art. Using recycled material is a great artistic technique."

Beaulieu says he was taking photos of the crow on Tuesday at LeBreton Flats and witnessing people's reactions to the art.

"They were curious, they were talking photos," Beaulieu. "For the most part, they were quite curious and they were quite taken with it."

The NCC says the art will be on display until June 2024.

The piece was on loan to the Andrew and Laura McCain Art Gallery in New Brunswick in 2022.

The gallery's website said Beaulieu uses "familiar materials to examine the boundary between what is natural and manmade, helpful or harmful."

 

 

 

 

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