Sculptures in Calgary Walking Tour

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1 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 - Sculptures in Calgary Walking Tour This tour is all about Calgary's outdoor sculptures: some of them weird, some of them outstanding, some of them merely amusing. You won't find imposing grey monuments with tones of history behind them. It's all about those small unrevealed sites in tourist handbooks, those colourful places captured in photos. Take this tour and discover Calgary's creative spirit. Guide Location: Canada» Calgary # of Attractions: 9 Tour Duration: 2 hour(s) Travel Distance: 2.8 km Please note: This walk is also featured in the ios app "GPSmyCity: Walks and Articles with Offline Maps" on itunes App Store and the Android app "Calgary Map and Walks" on Google Play. The apps provide GPS navigation to guide you from one tour stop to the next, so you will never be lost. The apps offer additional walking tours in Calgary. Check them out! GPSmyCity offers self-guided walking tours in over 1,000 city around the world. Please visit for more walking tour offers. List of attractions included in this self-guided walking tour: A) Family of Man B) Family of Horses C) Women are Persons D) Mechanical Horse E) The Conversation F) The Trees G) Counting Crows H) Brick Couch I) Hanging Out Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 1 -

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5 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 - A) Family of Man (must see) Family of Man is a 21 feet tall set of sculptures that were created exclusively to be displayed at the British Pavilions at Expo 67. These sculptures were designed by Mario Armengol to portray they way Britain handles international responsibilities specifically challenges in the form of world problems. Mario Armengol expertly depicts two different moods through these sculptures namely the dominating nature of man and a feeling of dependence and insignificance, a completely contradictory mood. In spite of being 21 feet tall, these sculptures reflect raceless, naked and expressionless human women and men. All sculptures are combined in groups and each one of them extend their hands in gesture of goodwill and fellowship. After the Expo 67 concluded, the sculptures were bought on behalf of Maxwell Cummings and Sons by Robert Cummings. It was donated to Calgary by this company later. The City of Calgary appointed a special committee to review and identify the best site for these statues. A suitable location was then identified. Today the Family of Man statues stand in front of the Calgary Education Center. Many tourists come to see these unique and interesting sculptures. Do not miss a visit to this education center and see these sculptures on your trip to Calgary. Address: Macleod Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Canada Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Thivierr B) Family of Horses Family of Horses is a statue donated to the City of Calgary by Spruce Meadows owned by the Southern Family. Spruce Meadows came into existence for the exclusive purpose of spreading goodwill, good friendship and good commerce. The culmination of Southern family s dream, Spruce Meadows today is managed by corporations, athletes, volunteers, fans, staff and officials. This unique and memorable place is a dream shared by these stakeholders. Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 5 -

6 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 - This venue sees many international level sporting events being held. It also organizes show jumping tournaments for different age groups. In a clean and green environment, the horse is celebrated and encouraged to breed and train. As a contribution to the City of Calgary, Spruce Meadows donated the Family of Horses statues which today stand in front of the City Hall. Spruce Meadow s contribution to the city reflects Calgary s deep passion and love for horses. Tourists to the city enjoy a visit to Spruce Meadows as well as the City Hall to view these statues. You will find the stallion positioned in such a manner that it overlooks the foal and mare. This signifies the strength and kinship among the families here and the special bond they share. Do not miss a visit to the City Hall and see the interesting Family of Man statues on your trip to Calgary. Address: 800 Macleod Trail SE, Calgary, AB, Canada Image Courtesy of Flickr and Susan Knight C) Women are Persons When you visit the Olympic Park in Calgary, you cannot miss the Women are Persons! Monument. This statue specifically recognizes the role played by Canadian women in the growth of the country. It was also built to honor the Famous Five, five women who fought for their rights on behalf of all Canadian women.. Adrienne Clarkson, the Governor General unveiled this monument on 18th October 1999 at a special event. On 18th October 2000, another monument resembling Women are Persons was unveiled in Ottawa. The right of Canadian women to fight for the senate came about due to diligent efforts of four women from Alberta. They fought to be recognized as persons constitutionally. The battle was led by Emily Murphy who was supported in her effort by four others. Their plea was rejected in 1928 by the court. It was in October 18th 1929 that a decision was taken in their favour by the British Privy Council s Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 6 -

7 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 7 - Judicial Committee. These ladies were popularly referred to as the Famous Five. In Canada, October 18th is celebrated as the Persons Day. Be sure to visit the Olympic Park and view these famous sculptures that talk about the steely determination and consistent efforts of Canadian women to bring about change and progress in the country. Address: 8th Avenue SE, Calgary, AB, Canada Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Thivierr D) Mechanical Horse (must see) This quite unusual, more than life-size horse statue proudly stands on Stephen Avenue. The remarkable feature about the sculpture is the material it was made of: mechanical equipment and junk metal parts, for the most part. The weird structure soon became quite popular among amateur photographers, both tourists and locals. Address: 8th Avenue Sw, Calgary, AB, Canada Image Courtesy of Flickr and Tony Tran E) The Conversation (must see) Calgary is indeed a city of surprises as any tourist to this city will tell you. There are numerous attractive and interesting tourist attractions that include many unique sculptures that speak volumes about the city and the country. One of the popular sculptures that tourists never miss is called The Conversation. This is a sculpture that depicts two businessmen who have just met on one of the downtown streets. The sculpture is so realistic that you feel like shaking their hands and joining in the conversation. This sculpture was created by William Hodd McElcheran and was placed in Stephen Avenue in It is made of bronze and is kept right on the Pedestrian Mall in Stephen Avenue. Visit this mall and you just cannot miss this Calgary s most famous sculpture. You will find the businessmen wearing small felt hats and bulky Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 7 -

8 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 8 - topcoats talking business. They are definitely wheeling and dealing as you can see from their expressions. This artwork belonged to Norcen Energy Resources who in 1981 donated it to the City of Calgary. On your trip to Calgary, do not miss a visit to the Pedestrian Mall in Stephen Avenue to view this wonderful statue that is certainly the pride of the city. Address: Stephen Avenue, Calgary, AB, Canada Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Danielle Scott F) The Trees (must see) Though Stephen Avenue has many attractions to offer, "The Trees" are never overlooked by tourists' eyes. These 25-meter tall giant trees are made of steel. They have been standing here since "The Trees" are both an elegant and practical acquisition: they not only display light shows from time to time, but they also minimize wind gusts between the buildings. Address: 8th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB, Canada Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Stephen Glauser G) Counting Crows (must see) Calgary is a city in Alberta, Canada that has a lot to offer tourists in terms of sightseeing. There are many sculptures, museums and parks here that attract thousands of tourists from around the world. If you are artistically inclined, then you must not miss the Counting Crows sculpture located at Fourth Street and 13th Avenue SW. This sculpture was created by artist Evelyn Grant who handed it over to the City of Calgary in Counting Crows is a piece inspired by and based on a traditional English rhyme. People used this rhyme to predict their fortunes. Evelyn Grant is a University of Calgary. She also completed the fine arts program at ACAD. Counting Crows sculpture resembles an ornamental wind mill. You must visit Fourth Street to view this wonderful sculpture created to perfection by the artist. This is one of the attractions you may miss out with your busy Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 8 -

9 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 9 - itinerary. So, before you visit Calgary, be sure you include a visit to Counting Crows which reflects Calgary s artistic talent and passion for sculptures. Check out all the crows sitting on the windmill. They look so realistic and one look at them and you feel they are ready to fly away. Address: 4th Street SW, Calgary, AB, Canada Image Courtesy of Flickr and Tera BoBera H) Brick Couch Calgary sculptures not only look realistic, they also create that perfect illusion. Brick Couch is a standing example of an amusing and clever illusion of an inviting, soft couch. This couch is an exciting addition to the street where it is located. It invites people walking around to come and sit on it and enjoy the ambience of the 4th Street. Created by artists Brian and Dawn, the Brick Couch is made of at least 1100 bricks that are hand-fired. It clearly reflects the way bricks were used historically. Brick Couch is indeed an architectural marvel that must not be missed by any tourist visiting the city. \ Brian and Dawn the artists donated this inviting couch to the City of Calgary in They co-own the Voyager Art & Tile located in Red Deer. This company in Calgary specializes in mosaic, tiles and public art. One look at the Brick Couch and you know that this is the work of a well qualified ceramic art degree holder. Sure enough, both Brian and Dawn have done their masters in ceramics at the Ohio State University. This pair of dedicated artists and businessmen has received many awards. They have been commissioned many times for public art. Make sure you see this unique and interesting piece of artwork in Calgary on your trip to the city. Address: 18th Avenue SW, Calgary, AB, Canada Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Arend041 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 9 -

10 Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 10 - I) Hanging Out Watch out for those crazy frogs lounging on the corner of 4th and 21st street Southwest! The creator of these three man-sized frogs sitting and relaxing on the bench of Calgary is Peter Smith. The sculpture was made out of steel metal and hand-welded steel and painted afterwards. The 10-foot tall frogs have been "Hanging out" at the same spot since Address: 21st Avenue SW, Calgary, AB, Canada Image Courtesy of Flickr and Richard Walker Copyright by GPSmyCity.com - Page 10 -