Kingsdale Spirals exhibit greets visitors
at new community centre in Kitchener
at new community centre in Kitchener
by Carrie Debrone
Kitchener Citizen
Visitors to the new Kingsdale Community Centre on Wilson Avenue in Kitchener cannot help but look up when they walk through the main doors.
The recently opened centre is home to one of Kitchener’s newest public art installations.
Called the ‘Kingsdale Spirals’ the large art piece consists of 39 mouth-blown, multi-coloured, glass discs measuring about 50cm in diameter. They are suspended individually at different heights from the centre’s ceiling by single wires.
During the Kingsdale Community Centre grand opening on October 22 a special tribute to artist Gordon Wright, who passed away September 20, was on display at the entrance.
Wright’s work can be found throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand in private homes and palaces, offices, public spaces, and churches.
Both his wife, Lori Mason, who helped write the proposal for the Kingsdale exhibit, and glass blower Paull Rodrigue, who blew the glass spiral discs, attended the centre opening.
“Some people collect antiques. Gordon collected friends,” Mason said of her husband.
Wright, who underwent a kidney transplant in 2010 and then suffered many complications following the operation because of a rare genetic disease, was well enough in March 2011 to oversee the installation of the art exhibit.
“It was supposed to have been installed earlier, but it was sort of a spiritual coincidence that the construction was delayed a bit and Gordon was well enough later at the time they needed him to come and help,” said Mason.
Each glass disc took about one and a half hours to create. The spiral theme was chosen because it represents the rudimentary building block of our universe. A spiral is the shape of DNA and of our galaxy.
“It’s wonderful to get an opportunity to participate in public art,” said Rodrigue.
“Hopefully it will inspire people and they will look up and get lost in it. Every disc is different. I hope people look at it long enough to pick their favourite one,” he said.
“This may be my favourite installation that we’ve done so far,” said Cheryl York, manager of the city’s public art program.
Kitchener Citizen
Visitors to the new Kingsdale Community Centre on Wilson Avenue in Kitchener cannot help but look up when they walk through the main doors.
The recently opened centre is home to one of Kitchener’s newest public art installations.
Called the ‘Kingsdale Spirals’ the large art piece consists of 39 mouth-blown, multi-coloured, glass discs measuring about 50cm in diameter. They are suspended individually at different heights from the centre’s ceiling by single wires.
During the Kingsdale Community Centre grand opening on October 22 a special tribute to artist Gordon Wright, who passed away September 20, was on display at the entrance.
Wright’s work can be found throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand in private homes and palaces, offices, public spaces, and churches.
Both his wife, Lori Mason, who helped write the proposal for the Kingsdale exhibit, and glass blower Paull Rodrigue, who blew the glass spiral discs, attended the centre opening.
“Some people collect antiques. Gordon collected friends,” Mason said of her husband.
Wright, who underwent a kidney transplant in 2010 and then suffered many complications following the operation because of a rare genetic disease, was well enough in March 2011 to oversee the installation of the art exhibit.
“It was supposed to have been installed earlier, but it was sort of a spiritual coincidence that the construction was delayed a bit and Gordon was well enough later at the time they needed him to come and help,” said Mason.
Each glass disc took about one and a half hours to create. The spiral theme was chosen because it represents the rudimentary building block of our universe. A spiral is the shape of DNA and of our galaxy.
“It’s wonderful to get an opportunity to participate in public art,” said Rodrigue.
“Hopefully it will inspire people and they will look up and get lost in it. Every disc is different. I hope people look at it long enough to pick their favourite one,” he said.
“This may be my favourite installation that we’ve done so far,” said Cheryl York, manager of the city’s public art program.
Lori Mason, wife of the late Gordon Wright, an artist who created the concept for the Kingsdale Spirals public art installation, stands with glass blower Paull Rodrigue under the exhibit. The art piece consists of 39, mouth-blown, multi-coloured, glass discs measuring about 50cm in diameter. They are suspended individually at different heights from the centre’s ceiling by single wires.
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