Title

Rite of Passage

Artist

Marman, Jennifer

Date

2018

Medium

aluminum

Type

water feature

sculpture

Owner

City of Burnaby

Accession Number

PA2018.1

Location

Willingon Avenue, between Hastings and Lougheed Highway

Category

City of Burnaby Public Art Collection

Collection

Public Art

Lat/Long

49.275265,-123.002803

View in Google Maps

http://www.google.com/maps?q=49.275265,-123.002803

Rite of Passage is a series of integrated public artworks running the length of Willingdon Linear Park. Linked to the landscape architecture of the park, this holistically designed public art project draws on themes of braiding and weaving, which were inspired by Burnaby’s setting within a watershed, a river delta, and as a city in transition. Colourful beacons signal gateways to the park and serve as markers for bus stops. Alternating art screens featuring wave and weave variations provide privacy to community members while acting as visual topographies for passersby. As the path meanders, there are places to stop, rest, enjoy, and discover. At Parker Street, a park with social points of connection contains The Eddy – a “community hammock” situated atop a swirling rubber patterned surface – as a place for both adults and children to relax and engage with playfully. At Charles Street, a sculptural water feature called The Delta ascends with a welcoming embrace. Water flows from white tubes resembling river tributaries onto faceted stainless steel rock forms, taking transcendental inspiration from the natural environment and the Fraser River watershed. Jennifer Marman and Daniel Borins have been making large-format sculpture, mixed media, and installation art since 2000. Marman and Borins have been collaborating with architect James Khamsi since 2012. Together they make sculptural projects that activate the urban realm from an integrated art, architecture, and landscape architecture perspective. The artists were selected through a nation-wide open-call competition, with jury members from the local fine arts and design communities, as well as representatives from parks and planning, and the Burnaby Art Gallery Public Art Committee. Utility boxes throughout the park have been wrapped with images created by Burnaby secondary students who participated in the 2018 Arts Alive exhibition at the Burnaby Art Gallery. The images were selected by the Burnaby Art Gallery Public Art Committee.