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Digital Orca

Coordinates: 49°17′23″N 123°07′00″W / 49.28977°N 123.11679°W / 49.28977; -123.11679
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Digital Orca
The sculpture in 2013
Map
ArtistDouglas Coupland
Year2009 (2009)
Medium
SubjectKiller whale
Dimensions8[1] m (25 ft)
LocationVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Coordinates49°17′23″N 123°07′00″W / 49.28977°N 123.11679°W / 49.28977; -123.11679
OwnerPavco[2]

Digital Orca is a 2009 sculpture of a killer whale by Douglas Coupland, installed next to the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[2] The powder coated aluminium sculpture on a stainless steel frame is owned by Pavco, a crown corporation of British Columbia which operates BC Place Stadium and the Vancouver Convention Centre.[2]

History

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The sculpture was installed in 2009 and commissioned by the city of Vancouver.[3]

In 2022, a group protesting the logging of old-growth forests in British Columbia spray painted landmarks around Vancouver, including Digital Orca.[4]

Description

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The sculpture is located at Jack Poole Plaza in Vancouver, Canada.[5] The sculpture depicts a killer whale created by black and white cubes,[6] creating a visual effect as if it were a pixellated digital image. The sculpture has a steel armature and aluminum cladding.[3]

Reception

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It was described as "both beautiful and bizarre" in Architectural Design.[3] John Ortved in Vogue said the statue "grapples with modernization and the digital age" by making the killer whale less scary.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Banks, Grace (2022). Art Escapes - Hidden Art Experiences Outside the Museum. gestalten. p. 248. ISBN 978-3-96704-052-4.
  2. ^ a b c "Digital Orca". City of Vancouver. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Mafi, Nick; Cherner, Jessica (2016-01-15). "38 of the Most Fascinating Public Sculptures". Architectural Digest. Archived from the original on 2021-12-29. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  4. ^ The Canadian Press (2022-07-22). "Anti-logging protesters tag Vancouver landmarks". The Toronto Star. pp. A3. ProQuest 2695809158. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  5. ^ Conner, Shawn (2021-12-16). "Coupland's cute new pair targets deeper layers of 'collective psyche'". The Vancouver Sun. pp. A13. ProQuest 2610675349. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  6. ^ Browne, Alex (2022-07-07). "White Rock examines use of public art to create more appealing spaces - Peace Arch News". Archived from the original on 2022-07-18. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  7. ^ Ortved, John (2017-09-23). "No Ticket Needed: A Tour of Vancouver's Public Art". Vogue. Archived from the original on 2022-08-03. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
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