Another unwanted Biennale artwork looks set for an extended stay in Richmond.
Organizers of the "temporary" public art exhibition have asked the City of Richmond to hold onto Wind Waves at Garry Point Park until the end of next summer.
The piece - which resembles a giant wavy red ball - has been a fixture in the park since the 18-month exhibition kicked off in the fall of 2009.
But since the event ended in the spring of this year, Vancouver Biennale has been unable to sell the artwork, which has been valued in the past at around $400,000.
If they do find a buyer between now and the end of August 2012, the piece will be moved on.
Until then, Biennale has requested that the people of Richmond enjoy Wind Waves for the time being and that it be included in the organization's educational program "Big Ideas" for the remainder of the school year.
"An extension to the exhibition at Garry Point Park would continue to be a benefit to the artistic and cultural enrichment of the city," wrote the city's public art planner, Eric Fiss, in a report which will be presented to the parks and recreation committee this week.
"The extended temporary exhibition _ will continue to offer many opportunities to enrich the city's cultural fabric, promote tourism, advance art education and provide a legacy of community engagement."
Wind Waves, along with the other temporary Biennale works of art, are due to be removed at the end of this year.
Should city council agree to allow Wind Waves to stay a little longer, the Biennale will be responsible for all maintenance and insurance coverage for risk of loss, release and indemnity. The Biennale will also be responsible for all costs associated with the removal of the work from the site.
The News reported last month how the new owner of another Biennale piece - Water #10, at River and Cambie roads -asked the city to hold onto the artwork for another year or two until a new housing development in north Richmond is ready to receive it.
Developer David Chung, who bought the piece for an undisclosed price, told the city he won't be ready to relocate the artwork to his new Parc Riveria development on River Drive until 2013.
Like Wind Waves, all costs associated with keeping the artwork in its location will be borne by the owner.
Despite publicity, good and bad, surrounding the 18-month long Biennale, only Water #10 out of the 15 exhibits in Vancouver and Richmond has been sold.
The controversial Lenin/Miss Mao piece at Alderbridge and Elmbridge ways was valued at $700,000.
Organizers of the Biennale also had to cancel their prestigious wrap-up gala auction due to poor ticket sales.
It later issued a statement saying that Vancouver perhaps wasn't the right place for the type of artwork on show, insisting a more international market would have been a better fit.
It's now trying to flog the artworks on the aforementioned international stage.
