Nested in the bank of Edmonton’s skyline, The Edmonton Convention Centre has always been a canvas for Edmontonians.
The Edmonton Convention Centre is proud to welcome Migratory Path, by Lethbridge artist Catherine Ross, to our iconic atrium. It is an honour to house Migratory Path in our venue. The sculpture installation is a unique experience that showcases Edmonton’s vibrant arts culture in the heart of downtown.
Photo credit Galen McDougall
The sculpture consists of 2,035 gold-coloured, hand-crafted ceramic birds with glazed under bellies. The artwork is suspended from a steel armature with a 4” open grid, with stainless steel cables and copper fitting. Ross created the very first bird more than 20 years ago with another project in mind. When Ross saw the call for a public art installation at the Edmonton Convention Center, she knew our venue would be the perfect home for the birds, and then the work begun. Each bird was modelled by hand, drilled, triple fired and glazed.
Photo credit Galen McDougall
The process of hanging the birds then took another three months. The sculpture installation is suspended five meters above the floor and is almost eight meters long, just under three meters wide and approximately three meters deep. Migratory Path took a total of two years to complete and once finished, was packed into six pieces. Each line of wire was individually bubble wrapped, and then the pieces were placed into crates for transportation from Ross’ studio in Lethbridge to Edmonton.
The swarming of birds depicted in her artwork represents the gathering of people. “It’s about movement and it’s about community,” describes Ross. “People will be able to enjoy it as the light streams in from the windows and skylights–it glows like nothing you can imagine.”
Photo credit Galen McDougall
We are proud to share the work of talented creatives with our guests. When the time is right to gather again, we invite guests to experience this incredible work of art in our iconic atrium. Migratory Path presents its viewers with a unique artistic experience of what it means to connect with one another within a community. The Edmonton Convention Centre is a gathering place of connection and we welcome people from all walks of life. This piece represents who we are in the community and who we are to Edmontonians.
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