Kent Monkman Unveils First Public Sculpture, A Beaver Condominium

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Cree artist Kent Monkman has created his first public sculpture, titled The Colony (2026), which will be a permanent installation on Toronto's revitalized Port Lands waterfront. The bronze and steel artwork depicts a modern condominium inhabited by a community of beavers, each engaged in distinct activities.

Known for his figurative paintings and drawings that explore Western art history and colonial narratives, Monkman had previously hesitated to venture into public art.“There were unknowns in terms of how I could communicate my vision in drawing and make it work in a different medium,” Monkman told The Art Newspaper.“There is something quite different about creating a work for the outdoors. Public art can be a complex thing to navigate; it's more exposed and the audience isn't necessarily discovering the work intentionally by stepping over the threshold into a museum.”

The Lassonde team commissioned Monkman for the new Lassonde Art Trail, which forms part of a C$1.4 billion ( $1 billion ) revitalization of the Port Lands area. This extensive project involved creating a new island in Biidaasige Park and rerouting the Don River's mouth. Philanthropist Pierre Lassonde donated C$25 million ( $18 million ) to establish the two-and-a-half-mile sculpture trail. While most of its inaugural 17 pieces are temporary, Monkman and Portuguese sculptor Joana Vasconcelos were tasked with creating permanent works.

Monkman drew inspiration from the revitalization project's mission to remediate Biidaasige Park and restore the Don River to its natural flow.“That's essentially what beavers do. They redirect water, create ecosystems for their habitats and impact the ecosystems of other animals,” he explained.

Working with local foundry MST Bronze, Monkman developed an arched structure approximately 12 feet tall. The artwork features four-foot-tall beavers within and around the condominium-like form. His design references an 18th-century engraving by Veremondo Rossi that shows beavers seeking refuge in a similar apartment-style structure while being hunted by Indigenous people, an image he has referenced in previous works.

Monkman reflected on the historical significance of beavers in North America.“It was made around the time when Louis XV was busy commissioning hunting scenes of foreign lands,” Monkman stated.“Beavers were a form of currency in the fur trade throughout North America. There was great competition between French and British colonists, and Indigenous people were also players in this trade, which devastated beaver populations. I like to think of beavers as standing in for the history of why this became a British colony instead of French, as well as how nature has been shaped by human activity.”

Each beaver in The Colony performs a playful activity, such as dancing, reading, or playing drums. One beaver gazes through a telescope, referencing Indigenous star stories. Monkman incorporates exaggerated, anthropomorphized expressions to add humor, a key element of his artistic practice.“Humour makes us Cree, makes us human, and can help open people's spirits to receive challenging messages and have difficult conversations,” Monkman added.

Monkman hopes the sculpture, situated in a remediated environment, will encourage viewers to consider the interconnectedness of species. He invites people“to consider Indigenous storytelling and how animals are part of a shared ecosystem. Indigenous knowledge and Indigenous presence are deeply embedded in this land.”

Source: The Art Newspaper

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