2023
Material: Bronze, concrete, stainless steel, iroko wood
Dimensions : 245 cm x 50 cm x 60 cm
Commissioned by the City of Ottawa
Location: Strandherd Drive, Ottawa, Ontario

A state of rest seeks to enrich the experience of visitors to Strandherd Drive by providing a visual reminder that the surrounding landscape is a space shared with nature. While it is common to lament the loss of abundance in wildlife that urban development usually heralds, A state of rest points toward the incredible adaptability and resilience of animals.

A state of rest fosters a different relationship between the viewer and nature as the humorous image of animals hunched in slumber on a bench suddenly deepens into a reflection on the power dynamic between humans and animals in our urban centres. The artwork encourages visitors to pause and reflect on their own relationship to nature while humorously referencing the stereotype of the ‘sleepy suburbs’.