Inges Idee Sculptor Collective

Running Track sculpture 'resonates' with art fans

It's called Running Track, a large, dynamic form simultaneously reminiscent of running feet and a track itself in stride.

The bold, red sculpture is the first thing that will greet visitors at the Terwillegar Community Recreation Centre when it opens. It's the newest addition to Edmonton's collection of public art.

"We are really excited and happy about this work," said Hans Hemmert, one of four members of the German art collective Inges Idee, that created the new sculpture. "I feel it is one of the best things we have done, and I hope people like it."

The sculpture stands about five metres high, eight metres long and weighs more than 2,270 kilograms. People gathered Friday to celebrate the finished work with a ceremony at the new recreation centre. The centre itself is expected to open in the coming months.

John Mahon, executive director of the Edmonton Arts Council, said it was exciting to see the piece of art go from conception to model to a finished work. He described the sculpture as "beautiful."

"I hadn't expected it to be as powerful as it is," he said, adding that the colours, ambience, shape and personality of the area around the sculpture all contribute to the overall impact of the piece.

Mahon said he believes the sculpture could become an iconic piece of art for the city.

The Inges Idee collective is based in Berlin, and has created numerous large-scale public works around the world. In considering the recreation centre piece, Hemmert said the group spent time brainstorming a permanent sculpture that would fit the mood, architecture and use of the area, both now and decades into the future.

Hemmert said the Running Track concept emerged quickly, and that the group liked the idea of a running form moving forward. The design was chosen by a committee made up of artists, community members and representatives of the City of Edmonton.

Mahon said the sculpture is a natural fit for the area, with a "playful, modern look" that suits the overall look and feel of the neighbourhood.

"It just fits," he said. "If I can use a cliche, it resonates."

The sculpture was fabricated by a company in Calgary, and moved here by truck in two pieces so it could be installed at the southwest Edmonton site.

Hemmert said he was excited to see the piece in place at the recreation centre on Friday, and hopes that the sculpture will become part of the site and the community in the years to come.

"I hope the people using the centre and high school nearby start to take this sculpture as their own, something belonging to them," he said.