Caution tape surrounded The Frame, a sculpture created by Nanaimo artist Jason Gress, at Maffeo Sutton Park Friday (June 10).
Chris Barfoot, the city’s culture and heritage coordinator, said damage was discovered in the piece during routine maintenance.
“Due to the materials that are used in a temporary art piece it has just broken down over time,” he said.
There is rot on the outside of the frame but Barfoot said the structure itself is good.
Gress will be doing repairs to the piece. No time frame for those repairs has been established but the sculpture will remain in the park for the summer.
“We know the public has really clung onto the piece and felt a lot of pride about it,” said Barfoot.
In September, Barfoot said the piece will be inspected again and if it is determined that it needs to come down it will be deaccessioned from the city’s art program. If that happens, Barfoot said the culture and heritage commission will create and present a proposal for council to work with the artist for a more permanent solution.
“The piece is near the end of it’s term. I hope the public sees the value in a piece like this,” said Barfoot.
The Frame was originally built and installed in 2012 as part of the City of Nanaimo’s temporary public art program.
The structure was so popular that it was donated to the city as a permanent piece by the Nanaimo Art Gallery, which at the time was a partner with the City of Nanaimo for the temporary public art program and oversaw the auction of pieces. Money raised through the auction goes to the gallery and temporary art fund. Now the program is overseen only by the City of Nanaimo.
Gress’s sculpture is near Swy-a-Lana Lagoon with framed views of the harbour from one angle and the city and mountain views from the other.
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