An iconic piece of public art has returned to White Rock’s Memorial Park.
Peninsula sculptor Joan Miriam Adams’ seven-foot granite piece, Metamorphosis, was reinstalled at the park on Jan. 15.
In an even more prominent position than before, the piece is “now displayed in the best possible light,” Adams said.
The sculpture has been a familiar feature close to the promenade for 30 years. Now, after a year in storage while upgrading work on Memorial Park was underway, it has been repositioned next to Marine Drive across from Charlie Don’t Surf.
Originally installed in 1988, Adams’ work represents a woman in the act of turning into a bird – a piece that, stylistically, pre-figured her Winged Lion Woman sculpture at Bear Creek Park, commissioned by the City of Surrey and installed in 1994.
“When I carved Metamorphosis at the beach, and my friend Calvin Turner carved Binding Spirit, (ours) were the first sculptures there,” Adams told Peace Arch News.
“Now we are a part of a beautiful trail of sculptures along the waterfront.”
Adams expressed her gratitude to South Surrey-White Rock MP Gordie Hogg, former city councillor Lynne Sinclair for their support throughout the removal and reinstalling of the sculpture, plus “all the managers who listened to my concerns and the entire crew that reinstalled Metamorphosis.”
“I was consulted to determine how I wanted to place Metamorphosis last year, and everything that I had asked for is now achieved,” she said.
“Metamorphosis is now realigned diagonally to produce better shadows and lights to better reveal her texture. She has a prominent site where she can be more easily viewed from the road or the lower promenade and you will now be able to more easily approach the sculpture.”
