Dennis Oppenheim's "Device To Root Out Evil" in Vancouver in 2005. Photo: Dan Fairchild Photography

After five years at Calgary’s Glenbow Museum, the late Dennis Oppenheim’s groundbreaking sculptural installation Device To Root Out Evil will soon be in search of a new home.  Originally part of the 2005-2007 Vancouver Biennale, the sculpture had a controversial tenure in Vancouver despite widespread critical acclaim. After a group of Coal Harbour residents complained about the work obstructing sightlines to the harbour, Device To Root Out Evil was eventually sent to Calgary’s Glenbow Museum on a five year loan. The Glenbow Museum placed the sculpture in Ramsay, Calgary’s most creative neighbourhood where it has been enjoyed, engaged and celebrated ever since.

As far as artists go, Dennis Oppenheim is iconic. Coming out of the conceptual art movement in the 1960s, he is the personification of his time. If you’ve spent any time in Toronto, you’ll be familiar with his 2009 sculpture Still Dancing in the Distillery District. His work has exhibited in galleries and museums around the world including the Tate Gallery, Stedelijk Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, The Museum of Modern Art, and Musee d’Art Moderne, and was recognized by the Vancouver Biennale for Lifetime Achievement in 2007. Since his death in 2011, his art is more revered than ever.

Subsequently, as part of our 2013-2015 exhibition, the Vancouver Biennale is exploring options to bring this important piece of art back home. Come on, Vancouver! We know you’re ready for this. We want it back! Let us know if you do too. There’s strength in numbers, so spread the word and show us your support. It’s time to bring Device To Root Out Evil back to Vancouver.

The late Dennis Oppenheim with "Device To Root Out Evil" in 2005. Photo: Dan Fairchild Photography

2005-2007 Vancouver Biennale participants John Henry, Emilie Brzezinski, Markus Schaller, Barrie Mowatt, Dennis Oppenheim, Khang Pham New and Sorel Etrog pose with Oppenheim's "Device to Root Out Evil" in Vancouver in 2005. Photo: Dan Fairchild Photography

Arriving Home by Dennis Oppenheim.  Photo by Sean Cranbury.

Vancouver Biennale is proud to announce the installation of a new sculpture by Dennis Oppenheim entitled Arriving Home.  You can find this piece at the International Arrivals Terminal at the Vancouver International Airport.

The Vancouver Biennale has showcased 2 other amazing pieces by Dennis Oppenheim in the past – The Device to Root Out Evil and the Engagement Rings.

Arrival and Departure: An Endless Spiral.  Photo by Sean Cranbury.

Arriving Home, Dennis Oppenheim (USA)
Plexiglass, steel

Departure and arrival, as well as the freedom and the exhilaration of travel and mobility are crystallized in the rhythmic movement in this circular sculpture created by one of the most influential, innovative and respected artists working today.

His two installations in the 2005-2007 Vancouver Biennale, ‘Device to Root Out Evil’ and ‘Engagement’ were two of the most popular and controversial installations. “Engagement“ was acquired by the Biennale as a Legacy work.

The circular form of “Arriving Home” suggests movement and mimics the rhythms of traveling. Both departure and arrival are crystallized in this metallic spiral by renown American artist Dennis Oppenheim. Perfectly positioned at the YVR International Airport arrivals terminal, a site of “Transit-ion”, the theme of the 2009-2011 Vancouver Biennale, the sculpture suggests the freedom and the exhilaration of travel and mobility.

In-Trasit-Ion: continuous movement and change.  Photo by Sean Cranbury.

The sculpture stands as a greeting to travellers as they come and go.

Constructed out of steel and lexan acrylic, the spiralling iridescent multi-coloured form looks alive and as though it is about to spin and move through space.

Oppenheim continues to be an influential figure in contemporary art.

He has received international attention for his conceptual work in the sixties, and later for his body or art, video, photography and performance work. His current work in large-scale outdoor sculpture installations has garnered international acclaim.

Dennis Oppenheim was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award in 2007 by the Vancouver Biennale.

For more information visit www.dennis-oppenheim.com

It’s been an auspicious beginning for the Vancouver Biennale.

As the August temperatures remain high and the summer sun drenches the city with its warmth a debate is beginning to bubble up around art in public spaces.

It began last week with this article on the cbc.ca featuring interviews and opinions with Vancouver Biennale President, Barrie Mowatt, and Vancouver Park Board commissioner, Aaron Jasper.

Finding locations for some of the sculptures soon to be installed as part of the Biennale has proved difficult for many reasons.  One issue is the huge influence that the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics holds over the city’s open spaces and park land. This has meant that some great art will be installed in public places within our neighboring City of Richmond.  Something that had not happened before.

The article has generated some great debate among readers as you can see in the comments section at the very end.  Much of the debate focused on the controversial work, Device to Root Out Evil by American artist Dennis Oppenheim.  The piece is also referred to as the Upside Down Church.  The piece had caused so much concern among members of the public that it was eventually moved to Calgary.

There are passionate opinions on both side of the issue.

(Photo credit: © 2009 Barry Duncan)

The debate has gathered some steam this week on Frances Bula’s State of Vancouver blog where readers engage in furious debate over Michael Zheng’s installation, The STOP, located simultaneously in Vanier Park and Charleston Park along False Creek.

If you’re passionate about art please take a look at these two links that I have posted and lend your voice to the debate.

This is what art – specifically art in public places – can do: inspire people to share and debate their ideas, to open up a passionate public discourse on art in our city.

Please join the conversation.

The July-August issue of Vancouver Magazine has done a cool little article on the Vancouver Biennale.  Written by Lia Grainger the article is an excellent overview of the upcoming major installations, the new media aspects and the controversy surrounding Dennis Oppenheim’s Device to Root out Evil from the inaugural Beinnale in 2005-2007.

The article begins by recounting a conversation between Biennale president Barrie Mowat and Chinese sculptor Ren Jun – Side Note: Ren Jun’s Shiny Water piece is going to be completely amazing and I’ll blog about that tomorrow! – that goes a little something like this…

“I‘ve based it all on a drop of water.”

Chinese sculptor Ren Jun is using his beverage to describe a monumental piece of public art. He’s trying to convince a dubious Barrie Mowatt, in the offices of the Vancouver Biennale near the Olympic Village, to approve his proposal for the international outdoor art festival that begins in September.

“Ren, if you want to install a 150-foot sculpture in the middle of the city, I need to see it,” says Mowatt.

Jun, a small man of boundless energy, looks playful. “It’s about water! Like this!’” Dipping his hand in the glass he’s been sipping from, Jun splashes water across the polished wooden surface of the conference table. It spills on some papers, but he doesn’t notice.

At first Mowatt seems confused, but then his eyes crinkle and he smiles. “I see the forms,” he says, as Jun drags his fingers through the pool of water that is slowly evaporating. “It could be a bird taking off, or waves,” he adds, and Jun nods. “It has that amorphous sense, but not so amorphous that you can’t identify with it. It will be fluid in seven tons of metal.”

Read the rest of the article here.  Thanks to Vancouver Magazine and Lia Grainger.