Artist Reunited and Skullpture Donation
July 02, 2008 Filed in: Shows and Unveilings | Yukon Seasons Heist
LINK: Listen to this CBC Radio interview on YouTube
(moose antler skull carving, moose antler skull sculpture)
Text:
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Well Shane Wilson is unveiling a new work of art and hoping to put an old one back together.
The former Yukoner is now based in British Columbia. He's back in the Territory to unveil a series of sculptures in Haines Junction.
He's also hoping to take a look at a carving that was damaged in a recent theft. "Yukon Seasons" is an elaborately carved moose head, lifted from the Canada Games Centre last year. After being on the wanted list for several months it was finally returned but the thieves had damaged the piece.
Shane Wilson obviously has a lot on his plate but he's taken some time out to chat with me here this afternoon.
Let's start with Haines Junction, where you unveiled sculptures yesterday. Could you describe those for me?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Certainly! I've been working for the last four years on a series of bronze skulls. I call them my Skullpture Series, spelled s-k-u-l-l-pture. During the Canada Winter Games, when the Torch Relay was in Haines Junction, I noticed their Convention Centre was filled with marvelous art, animal related and quite beautiful, and came upon the idea of donating this series to the Village of Haines Junction for display in the St Elias Convention Centre. This enabled the Series to stay together and be displayed publicly. So I proposed the idea to them and found out that they have an Art Acquisition Committee, they've got a budget. (I think Haines Junction spends more on art than the rest of the Territory combined, which is phenomenal, quite a forward thinking community!) Anyway, they accepted the donation and it was unveiled yesterday in Haines Junction.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Now there are a number of beautiful pieces in that building, where in the building are your pieces going to be displayed?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
If you've been to the Junction, you've seen how the main entrance opens onto a wide spiral staircase. Underneath the spiral staircase, there's quite a lovely space. They've commissioned the architect of the building to come up with a display case that will fit perfectly with the curve of the staircase, right below the stairs.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
So just as you enter the building, your Skullptures will be right there?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Well, yes. You'll have to scoot around sideways a bit, but they'll be there.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Now Shane what inspired you to carve not only animals familiar to the Yukon, but people too?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
I've always loved skulls. I think skulls are neat. Actually, it's interesting, I think the committee was a little concerned about how the community would take the fact that these were carved skulls, albeit cast in bronze. And people loved them. At least that's what they seemed to indicate. I think lots of people love skulls, I mean, they are really neat. But you can't carve every kind of skull. I've carved moose skulls. They're big, there's a lot of bone to them. They are easy to work. But with other skulls, there are philosophical, practical, and regulatory difficulties carving them. So what I decided to do, in order to continue to work with this form that I love, was to cast skulls that couldn't otherwise be carved, create wax replicas of them, cast them in bronze and in this particular case I actually carved the bronze as I would carve the bone or the antler itself.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
So how did you come across these skulls that were later cast in bronze? Where did they come from?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
A few of them I collected myself, a few I borrowed and the Renewable Resources office in Faro lent me quite a few of their skulls from the Yukon. Unfortunately, they were more of a gift after they had been cast because when you cast the skulls it changes them a little bit ... they're not as returnable.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
So when can we see these in Haines Junction?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
The case is in the design process now, so I don't actually know what the time-line is at this point. But certainly they will put out some kind of notice as to when they will be officially unveiled in their new location.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Okay Shane, I want to change gears for just a moment and talk about "Yukon Seasons." And of course this is your piece, the very elaborately carved antlers that were at the Canada Games Centre. We spoke with you numerous times over the last year when they went missing, when they were stolen.
First, can you describe the damage that happened to these antlers because as they were being stolen from the Games Centre a piece was actually chipped off?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Well I'd love to do that but first I've really go to say thank you to CBC Radio and to Susan Stanley especially, because she kept following this story and kept it alive. And I really think that because of her persistence all kinds of things came into play, the Art Loss Register in New York and so forth, and ultimately the piece was turned in and recovered, so I'm very greatful to CBC, so thank you!
Now having said that, I was very pleased today when walking into the Conservation office. They've been damaged, there's some wear and tear on the upper surface where the carving is: a little mould growth, yellowing, the big lower tine that broke off during the robbery changed the shape of the antler just slightly so that it won't be able to put it back on exactly as it came off. I'm not sure how they're going to do that. But overall I was very pleased. It was intact.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
So can it be fixed?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Sure, yeah!
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
So what will they have to do to fix it?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
I think that should be a question you put to Valery at the Heritage Branch because she's going to be the conservator that will repair it. Basically, she's going to try to eliminate the mould spores that are growing there, possibly do something about the colour, and reattach the tine that broke off with a conservator glue. It won't be a perfect fix, but it will be there on display and people can see it and it will become part of the story of the piece itself.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Now Shane the piece was originally installed at the Canada Games Centre, do you think it will go back there once it's repaired?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
I don't know if that's decided yet, but I hope so! That was the place that was chosen initially for it and I see no reason why it shouldn't go back there.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Has this experience changed your view of the value of public art?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Hmmm. Interesting question! I think public art is valuable, very valuable. Probably way more valuable than private art, because the public gets to enjoy it. Anyone who's travelled through Europe knows that every square inch, almost, is adorned with public art. There are buildings that are done just so. I think it enriches our public life enormously. You can't really place a value on it in terms of its impact on culture and identity.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Well Shane Wilson, thank you very much for coming in today.
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Thank you very much, Cheryl.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Shane Wilson is a former Yukon Artist and the creator of "Yukon Seasons", a massive moose antler sculpture, stolen but now found. And you can also check out his new work in Haines Junction. Shane Wilson lives in Nanaimo, British Columbia.
(moose antler skull carving, moose antler skull sculpture)
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Certainly! I've been working for the last four years on a series of bronze skulls. I call them my Skullpture Series, spelled s-k-u-l-l-pture. During the Canada Winter Games, when the Torch Relay was in Haines Junction, I noticed their Convention Centre was filled with marvelous art, animal related and quite beautiful, and came upon the idea of donating this series to the Village of Haines Junction for display in the St Elias Convention Centre. This enabled the Series to stay together and be displayed publicly. So I proposed the idea to them and found out that they have an Art Acquisition Committee, they've got a budget. (I think Haines Junction spends more on art than the rest of the Territory combined, which is phenomenal, quite a forward thinking community!) Anyway, they accepted the donation and it was unveiled yesterday in Haines Junction.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Now there are a number of beautiful pieces in that building, where in the building are your pieces going to be displayed?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
If you've been to the Junction, you've seen how the main entrance opens onto a wide spiral staircase. Underneath the spiral staircase, there's quite a lovely space. They've commissioned the architect of the building to come up with a display case that will fit perfectly with the curve of the staircase, right below the stairs.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
So just as you enter the building, your Skullptures will be right there?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Well, yes. You'll have to scoot around sideways a bit, but they'll be there.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Now Shane what inspired you to carve not only animals familiar to the Yukon, but people too?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
I've always loved skulls. I think skulls are neat. Actually, it's interesting, I think the committee was a little concerned about how the community would take the fact that these were carved skulls, albeit cast in bronze. And people loved them. At least that's what they seemed to indicate. I think lots of people love skulls, I mean, they are really neat. But you can't carve every kind of skull. I've carved moose skulls. They're big, there's a lot of bone to them. They are easy to work. But with other skulls, there are philosophical, practical, and regulatory difficulties carving them. So what I decided to do, in order to continue to work with this form that I love, was to cast skulls that couldn't otherwise be carved, create wax replicas of them, cast them in bronze and in this particular case I actually carved the bronze as I would carve the bone or the antler itself.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
So how did you come across these skulls that were later cast in bronze? Where did they come from?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
A few of them I collected myself, a few I borrowed and the Renewable Resources office in Faro lent me quite a few of their skulls from the Yukon. Unfortunately, they were more of a gift after they had been cast because when you cast the skulls it changes them a little bit ... they're not as returnable.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
So when can we see these in Haines Junction?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
The case is in the design process now, so I don't actually know what the time-line is at this point. But certainly they will put out some kind of notice as to when they will be officially unveiled in their new location.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Okay Shane, I want to change gears for just a moment and talk about "Yukon Seasons." And of course this is your piece, the very elaborately carved antlers that were at the Canada Games Centre. We spoke with you numerous times over the last year when they went missing, when they were stolen.
First, can you describe the damage that happened to these antlers because as they were being stolen from the Games Centre a piece was actually chipped off?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Well I'd love to do that but first I've really go to say thank you to CBC Radio and to Susan Stanley especially, because she kept following this story and kept it alive. And I really think that because of her persistence all kinds of things came into play, the Art Loss Register in New York and so forth, and ultimately the piece was turned in and recovered, so I'm very greatful to CBC, so thank you!
Now having said that, I was very pleased today when walking into the Conservation office. They've been damaged, there's some wear and tear on the upper surface where the carving is: a little mould growth, yellowing, the big lower tine that broke off during the robbery changed the shape of the antler just slightly so that it won't be able to put it back on exactly as it came off. I'm not sure how they're going to do that. But overall I was very pleased. It was intact.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
So can it be fixed?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Sure, yeah!
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
So what will they have to do to fix it?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
I think that should be a question you put to Valery at the Heritage Branch because she's going to be the conservator that will repair it. Basically, she's going to try to eliminate the mould spores that are growing there, possibly do something about the colour, and reattach the tine that broke off with a conservator glue. It won't be a perfect fix, but it will be there on display and people can see it and it will become part of the story of the piece itself.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Now Shane the piece was originally installed at the Canada Games Centre, do you think it will go back there once it's repaired?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
I don't know if that's decided yet, but I hope so! That was the place that was chosen initially for it and I see no reason why it shouldn't go back there.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Has this experience changed your view of the value of public art?
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Hmmm. Interesting question! I think public art is valuable, very valuable. Probably way more valuable than private art, because the public gets to enjoy it. Anyone who's travelled through Europe knows that every square inch, almost, is adorned with public art. There are buildings that are done just so. I think it enriches our public life enormously. You can't really place a value on it in terms of its impact on culture and identity.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Well Shane Wilson, thank you very much for coming in today.
Shane Wilson, Sculptor
Thank you very much, Cheryl.
Cheryl Kawaja, Host, CBC Whitehorse Noon Show
Shane Wilson is a former Yukon Artist and the creator of "Yukon Seasons", a massive moose antler sculpture, stolen but now found. And you can also check out his new work in Haines Junction. Shane Wilson lives in Nanaimo, British Columbia.
(moose antler skull carving, moose antler skull sculpture)