Biota Blown Glass Installation

The Muttart Conservatory remains closed in compliance with the current provincial public health orders. We look forward to welcoming visitors back when it is deemed safe to do so, and we are excited to show off improvements that have been made to the facility over the past 18 months. The Muttart has been identified in Step 3 of the Province’s relaunch plan. We are caring for the plants and preparing for when we are able to reopen.

In 2013 local artist Keith Walker was commissioned to create a blown glass installation that would highlight the centre court in one of the most distinctive sights in Edmonton, the Muttart Conservatory. Months of planning and hard work paid off in March of 2014, as the artwork was installed in the apex of Muttart’s fifth pyramid. The installation is an exciting addition to the collection of permanent art pieces at the attraction, creating a diverse display for visitors that needs to be seen to fully appreciate and enjoy.

Keith Walker says, “My intent with this installation is to instill a feeling of fantasy and wonder from the viewer's perspective. Bold use of colours and the whimsical nature of the forms could suggest something of this world on a microscopic level or simply something out of this world which could only be realized in one’s dreams”.

Biota

This permanent installation celebrates the diversity, variety and abundance of life on Earth! The central core of single-cell organisms is encircled by complex plant and animal species that interconnect to form a working ecosystem. Each performs a specific function; removing any organism puts the system out of balance. Through hand-blown glass, each organism in this symbolic representation shows its own unique characteristics of colour, shape, structure, luminosity, and texture, while sharing the common trait of fragility. As it catches the light, I hope it catches our imagination and reminds us of the wonder and beauty of life all around us.

Keith Walker and Tommy T, 2014

Matching funding for the project was generously provided by Alberta Foundation for the Arts.

For more information on Keith Walker and his artwork, please visit his website Keith Walker Glass.