Local artist calls for public participation in sculpture

Windsor artist Laura Shintani has been commissioned by the City of Windsor to create a sculpture for Jackson Park.

She won the bid after she decided to link the work to the International Childrens Games.

The games kick off in Windsor in just six weeks.

Shintani is currently working on a pair of two-metre high chairs that will eventually be cast in bronze and put on display in Jackson Park.

Shintani says she has a unique way for the sculptures to leave their mark.

"This involves an open call to the people of Windsor-Essex and the international guests coming in August," she said. "What we'll be doing is asking everyone to put their thumbprint in the wax."

The project costs $250,000. The City of Windsor contributed $15,000. The artist has to raise the remaining money

Shintani says that total caught her off guard.

"I nearly choked, because I thought, 'oh my gosh. It's so much money.' But then I started to break it down," she said. "For the scale of it, for the people involved, for what it means long term, collectively as a vision, suddenly, it became a very very small amount, strangely enough."

Coun. Drew Dilkens defends the city's contribution.

"Going to some of our sister cities, I think some have travelled outside of Canada and internationally and have had a chance to see the impact public art has on your experience when you're in a different city," Dilkens said.

Dilkens said public art is an important part of any community.

"In order to have a well-balanced city, you can't just focus on economic development; you cant just focus on aquariums or aquatic centres or arenas," he said. "Those are all important elements of a well balanced community. But art has to be part of the overall balance."