Richmond has its fair share of great artwork on display throughout the city. From sculptures to murals there is always an art piece hidden around. The city’s public art program invites community interaction while making Richmond more welcoming and vibrant.
Sea to Sky Public Art
This artwork was created by Musqueam artist Thomas Cannell and is located at the corner of The Paramount building on No. 3 Road, right across from Richmond Centre. The public artwork is a mosaic of fish, whales, eagles, salmon and humans “puzzled together” into a triangular shape. This art piece symbolizes the similarity between animals and humans, that the desire is to be together in a safe and secure environment as a community.
Pop-up Picnic Tables
Artwork can be functional too. Richmond has six locations with picnic tables that have artwork designs on them by local artists. These pop-up picnic tables are at Lansdowne Centre, Aberdeen Centre, Richmond Oval, Steveston Town Square Park, Britannia Shipyards and Fisherman’s Park. The art-decorated tables first appeared during the pandemic to let the public dine outside.
Dream of the River
Located in the park at the foot of No. 2 Road, just south of the pier at London Landing, is the skeleton of a half boat. This art sculpture is in the form of the ribs of a full-size half-built fishing boat with concrete salmon vertebrae forming the keel. The art piece has ties in Steveston’s Japanese and fishing history where many Japanese boat builders had to abandon their projects in 1942 before their expulsion.
Olympic Oval
Right outside the Olympic Oval a red net sculpture hangs just above a small garden. This art piece titled “Water Sky Garden” was created by Echelman alongside a team of engineers, consultants, architects and more. The red net symbolizes the native Musqueam Band continuing to teach their children to fish using nets at a particular bend in the Fraser River to this day. Along with the red net, the red boardwalk under it is inspired by the city’s cultural communities such as Richmond’s immigrant population.
