Trans Am Totem, 2014
- Installed 2014
- Location Quebec St. at Milross Ave., Vancouver, BC
- Artist(s) Marcus Bowatt, Rick Harry (Xwalacktun)
- Medium
(5) Restored Vanity Cars (Trans Am, BMW, Honda Civic, Volkwagen Rabbit, Mercedes Benz)
West Coast Cedar Tree - Program Vancouver Biennale
“The automobile holds a unique position in our culture. It’s a manufactured want and symbol of extremes; practicality and luxury, necessity and waste. We can see this in the muscular Trans Am, the comfortable BMW, and the workhorse Civic. Trans Am Totem also questions the cycle of production and consumption.” – Marcus Bowcott
Nature triumphant, the 150 year old cedar trunk harkens back to the pre-industrialized tidal flats and forest landscape of the place, and reminds us of the once burgeoning forest industry along its shores. A bear claw carved into the trunk by artist Rick Harry (Xwalacktun) honours this traditional and unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Constructed in 2014, Trans Am Totem is a legacy installation of the 2014-2016 Vancouver Biennale. It has since been included in the City of Vancouver’s permanent public artwork collection thanks to a donation from philanthropists Chip and Shannon Wilson.
