City of Vancouver holds off on installing ‘Boy Holding A Shark’ sculpture

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The Boy Holding a Shark statue that was meant to stand tall near False Creek but after some “technical conversations,” the City of Vancouver has decided to “find a new, more suitable location along the seawall.”

The piece, which depicts a large, aqua-coloured boy holding a melting, silver shark, has been the subject of a petition from residents, who are upset with its size.

Residents have argued the art belongs in the plaza that is adjacent to the seawall and False Creek, adding it just does not “fit in” with the area.

Related Article: Debate in Vancouver erupts over a proposed tall art installation

However, the decision to relocate the project, “is not a judgment on the piece itself, or its qualities. It’s purely looking at appropriateness to site,” Head of Public Art for the City, Eric Fredricksen, says.

Remember the 'Boy Holding A Shark' sculpture that was supposed to go up in False Creek? Well – the City has denied the request to install the 7.8 m high art piece, following a technical review. They're now looking for a "new, more suitable location along the seawall." @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/2C2s0EbW0P

— Tarnjit Kaur Parmar (@Tarnjitkparmar) July 10, 2021

According to Fredricksen the City received loads of feedback from the public arguing for and against the sculpture and their input helped point to congestion and overcrowding issues.

“There’s a lot of foot traffic there. There’s a lot of people on wheels, going through their bikes and wheelchairs … It’s a pretty tight part of the seawall as it is. So just being able to see something of that scale, the only real place to do it from was the walkway and the bikeways itself, which would probably contribute to an already sometimes congested condition.”

The piece by artist Chen Wenling “is akin to a lighthouse and acts as a warning that human activity is jeopardizing our oceans to the point where even the most powerful and seemingly indomitable of marine life are in distress. The young distraught boy, holding the shark as evidence for all to see, reminds us that the future is in our hands,” according to Vancouver Biennale.

The City is now working with project organizers to find a new location, which will still be around the sea wall.

Fredricksen adds the passionate criticism will be helpful in conceding a new location.

“Trying to find places where there’s better viewing distances to something where the scale of it isn’t, you know, very dramatically kind of, out of scale with the rest of what’s going on in that area. And that people can safely sort of pass around it and buy it. And so those sort of considerations would definitely be in play and looking at new locations.

Fredricksen adds, thanks to the people who spoke up and provided the city with their input, the City will consider a panel review for proposed projects that would allow for a bit more consultation and allow the city to set priorities guided by people who can review the artwork alongside the technical questions.