Nanaimo’s old city quarter is getting a new sculpture created by a local artist at the intersection of Fitzwilliam and Wallace Street.
The piece is titled Compelling Agency, and it was crafted by David Martinello out of metal and wood.
“My approach to art is based on an experience we all can relate to, admiring the breadth of a tree and picking up a stick to inspect its beauty,” said Martinello.
According to Martinello, his intent with the sculpture was to draw the viewers’ attention to our relationship with the environment. The wood components are designed to weather over time and evolve the sculpture’s look over its 4 years on display.
“Our public art is a wonderful reflection of place and community – free and accessible to all. We welcome this magnificent addition by a talented artist to our public art program,’ said Mayor Leonard Krog.
If you’d like a chance to gain some insight into Martinello’s process, there will be an artist talk on December 2 as part of the 2023 season of the Nanaimo Artwalk.
Compelling Agency is part of Nanaimo’s Temporary Public Art Program and will be on display until 2027.