Photo: Ted Topping

From Tuija Seipell of Jaunted.com – Vancouver is still basking in the afterglow of the 2010 Winter Olympics and one of the best remnants of the Games is the public art that now decorates the city’s parks and buildings. For the next few weeks, Jaunted’s Vancouver Embed Tuija Seipell of The Cool Hunter will be reporting on the best of the bunch.

A-maze-ing Laughter happily competes with The Meeting for the title of the most-photographed and most-posed-with among Vancouver’s coolest public art. Each of the 14 happy bronze-cast males is 8.5 feet tall (2.5 meters) and weighs 551 pounds (250 kilograms).

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In your opinion, which Biennale sculpture is the coolest piece? Let us know in the comments!

Hot off the press! Watch NEW coverage about the Vacouver Biennale and find out about its public online learning program on Novus Community Channel NVTV4! On the air everyday at 12:00 am, 9:30 am, 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

Play this free online  game and tell us which conversation has the funniest line in the game world or tell us what would be a funny line to add to the game world.

Who Made the Santa Hats for Yue Minjun's A-Mazing Laughter? Photo by MLA Mary McNeil Vancouver-False Creek.

There’s a mystery afoot in Vancouver and it’s not “who is going to foot the bill for the Olympics.”

Some anonymous and crafty person – or perhaps a team of elves – created a bunch of seasonal red and white Santa hats and matching scarfs for our friendly, laughing figures down at Morton Triangle near English Bay.

The day before Christmas the hats and scarfs appeared on our chilling bronze friends.  Truly, an A-Mazing occurrence.

If anyone knows who created these colourful clothes for Yue Minjun’s A-Mazing Laughter, please let me know.  We love the idea and would like to thank whoever did this with a special, tho belated, Holiday gift.

Happy to be a little bit warmer on Christmas Day at English Bay! Photo by MLA Mary McNeil Vancouver-False Creek.

Cold day but the Laughing Dudes stay A-Mazingly warm. Photo by MLA Mary McNeil Vancouver-False Creek.

Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head. Photo by Louise Gadd.

On January 6th, Malcolm Brodie wrote the following letter to the editors of the Richmond Review newspaper regarding public response to a recent sculpture installation.  Full text is faithfully reprinted below.

Editors:

There has been a great deal of public discussion about the recent installation of “Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head,” a public art piece located at the intersection of Elmbridge and Alderbridge Way.

This is part of the Vancouver International Sculpture Biennale (VISB) which will ultimately showcase nine sculptures, on an interim basis, throughout our community with more in Vancouver until early 2011. The VISB is a non-profit organization whose goal is to bi-annually mount an outdoor public art exhibition, featuring major sculptures, new media, and performance works by some of the world’s most celebrated and emerging artists.

Richmond City Council has supported public art over many years. Involvement in the VISB is part of the City’s commitment. Other Biennale works currently installed include Yvonne Domenge’s “Olas de Viento (Wind Waves)” at Garry Point Park and Dennis Oppenheim’s “Arriving Home” at YVR International Arrivals. Watch for “Water #10” soon to be situated near the Aberdeen Station on the Middle Arm Waterfront Greenway, amongst others.

There are always a variety of opinions about any work of art, including this sculpture. In fact, public art is meant to provoke discussion—making us stop, think and reflect on the experience. This particular sculpture presents a provocative and unconventional depiction of Mao and Lenin. This piece may remind us that because we have freedom of expression in Canada, we need not fear censorship.

I hope that each piece of public art will cause residents and visitors alike to stop and reflect. Freedom for artistic expression and the right to express an opinion are fundamental rights all Canadians enjoy.

Malcolm D. Brodie

Mayor