Canmore public art gets 2 antlers up from local elk

Artists have to learn to absorbthe slings and arrows that come from exhibiting work in public, but if they're Alberta artists based in Canmorethey also have to take itchy antlers turning their art into a scratching pad.

That's what Canmore artist Lisa Tornackdiscovered when she was commissioned by the Town of Canmore to create The Nest, an art installation that she placed near the Mineside trail site.

Made out of natural materials it's a temporary piece that's only meant to last a season or so Cormackcreated a large nest or basket shaped installation made of burlap and wood and other natural materials, like rocks and willow branches.

It all seemed to be going well, until she heard a report that someone had shot a video of an elk interacting with The Nest.

The elk intervention

Or was it reviewing it?

Only the elk knows and Tornackisn't too concernedeither way.

"The elk was basically rocking and rolling the large nest or basket shape around the site," she saidon theCalgary Eyeopener.

"My initial reaction after seeing the videowas, is he playing with the work? Did he respond to it in this way?" she said. "But I later in reality came to find out the elk was more than likely trying to remove the velvet from his antlers and actually when I went to repair the piece, there was evidence of that. There were strips of velvet laying around the nest sculpture."

Art as part of the natural environment

"There's definitely been some damage to the work," she said. "I went to the site to do a little repair and it's been moved a bit too as well."

While the elk interaction was not something Tornackhad in mind, it's also not too far removed from the original project intention to worry too much about, either.

"When it was made the work, the willow was very green and flexible," she said."And then over time, it dries and becomes much more rigid, so that rocking and rolling that happened with the elk damaged the piece.

"But it's part of it," she adds. "It's a temporary piece. It's only up for a few months, so part of what it is is how it evolves over time.

"It's not exactly the same as when it was first installedbut it's still intact. It definitely makes for a good story."

The installation is still on the Minesidetrail site, but tucked away a bit near a creek, rather than its original location, which turns out to have been an elk corridor.

As far as how that videographer happened to be there right when the elk interaction happened, Tornackdoesn't see a conspiracy or a staged elk intervention, or anything like that.

"It's a very small, tight-knit community," she said."But when we were installing the images, people were very interactive and wanting to engage with me and talk about the artwork. So I think it's just like any small townpeople know what's happening in their community and want tokeep an eye on things, and I think oneof the residents happened to be in right place at the right time."

With files from theCalgary Eyeopener

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