Edmonton's Got Balls!

[Voice]

The Talus Dome before landscaping and other final touches.


Looking up to the sky from the Talus Dome (yes it sounds too much like TELUS doesn't it).


A close up and unintentional self portrait at the Talus Doom. Yep, that is my son and me in the centre doom.


Last one. I really think the landscaping will make a huge difference. This is really so unlike Edmonton as we put most art, architecture and anything interesting in places where it is hard to get to in order to see. Nearly everybody will see this, and they will say, "Edmonton has balls!".


I lied, this is actually the last one.

[jstock]

Hope they don't crack with the constant expansion/contraction cycle we see here in town.

[Edmonton PRT]

"Edmonton has yarbles" is the correct phrase...

[Voice]

Originally Posted by Edmonton PRT

"Edmonton has yarbles" is the correct phrase...

Okay, so what is a yarble?

[KC]

Cool!

However we know what happened to the bulls' balls. I hope it's going to be raised way up high to prevent vandalism and or damage from gravel flung off cars, lawn mowers, etc. Plus to keep it clean of road grime.

What are they made from? Solid or hollow?
Upon closer inspection it looks like it's going to sit on the ground! If so, it sure looks like a foible to me.

[Franky Knuckles]

That's kinda cool....not the greatest place for cool art. A blind person who's drunk could tell me this!

As for Edmonton having balls........Balls are sensitive and weak. Grow a Vagina.....there a lot more durable and take a pounding.

[Barry N]

Anyone know if it is illuminated at night ?

[thegongshow]

I like it but wonder if the sun reflecting off of it will blind drivers?

[Medwards]

Originally Posted by Voice

Okay, so what is a yarble?

refering to the male genitalia. originates from the literary piece "A Clockwork Orange". "come and get one in the yarbles, if you've GOT any Yarbles!"

[Voice]

Originally Posted by Medwards

refering to the male genitalia. originates from the literary piece "A Clockwork Orange". "come and get one in the yarbles, if you've GOT any Yarbles!"

What's all this talk about genitalia. I was posting about ball "bearings". Edmonton's got ball bearings.

[KC]

Looked like balls of mercury to me.

[Edmonton PRT]

Other cities got balls too.

[IanO]

Reminds me of slag from Inco in Sudbury, but I like it.

[Komrade]

I dont get it. But I like it.

[JJMorrocco]

I don't agree that we need to add art at 1% of the project cost. The 'art' should be incorporated into the architecture of the actual project pieces. I definately do not agree that this needs to be outsourced to a California company I am sure we have plenty of artists in town that could have devised something to this effect.

[edmonton daily photo]

^ There is nothing wrong with hiring an international Firm who advertises internationally once in a while...

I have NO problem hiring world recognized talent.

[RRH]

I wonder what Calgary woul dhave built ....

[edmonton daily photo]

I big Chinese finger trap

[booster]

http://twitpic.com/7cuku4 First case of an idiot working their magic.

[24karat]

Looks like it needs to be brightly lit to make the idiot vandals visible.

[Medwards]

wow, that didn't take long...

[Barry N]

Originally Posted by 24karat

Looks like it needs to be brightly lit to make the idiot vandals visible.

On the subject of lighting,I sent an eMail to the arts council and was told that are still discussing it. Perhaps this incident will fast track a decision.

[Voice]

Originally Posted by 24karat

Looks like it needs to be brightly lit to make the idiot vandals visible.

Better still, a camera to make vandals visible until caught!

Love it or hate it but vandalism is just bad for everyone in the City.

[Blueline]

But "They're Just Expressing Themselves"
Fricken idiots!

[JJMorrocco]

we should put a $100K fence around it, so that no one touches our BALLS!

[Edmcowboy11]

I noticed that vandalism there as I drove past today. So damn annoying that some people have no respect at all.

[0X434236]

So, why are we wasting $600,000 on this again? Personally I would like to see that money go into the school system.

[Sonic Death Monkey]

Originally Posted by 0X434236

So, why are we wasting $600,000 on this again? Personally I would like to see that money go into the school system.

[Edmcowboy11]

Ok everyone here's the deal, lets eliminate all funding for everything except for schools and and health care. Once the kids are smart enough and the other people are healthy enough then they will decide to move to another city where they can still get the same education and same health care but have a whole bunch more things to do and see because they wont want to live in a city that is so boring and dull with no asthetic beauty at all.
I'm all for education and health but do people not realise that art, museums, performing arts, etc... are just as important as the "core" things of a city.

[Edmonton PRT]

Support local artists.

[Hilman]

Originally Posted by Edmcowboy11

Ok everyone here's the deal, lets eliminate all funding for everything except for schools and and health care. Once the kids are smart enough and the other people are healthy enough then they will decide to move to another city where they can still get the same education and same health care but have a whole bunch more things to do and see because they wont want to live in a city that is so boring and dull with no asthetic beauty at all.
I'm all for education and health but do people not realise that art, museums, performing arts, etc... are just as important as the "core" things of a city.

You forgot about the homeless

[Gemini]

Maybe we should hold judgement on this until the landscaping and other additions are made. Could look nice if different coloured lights are placed around it.

[Voice]

Having seen it close up I kind of like it. I would say though that this type of art might be better if it were in more of a typical walking area. It would be great at the End of Steel Park on Gateway for example. Where it is now, the only pedestrians that will see it are vandals and crazy amateur photographers like me.

Even though I like it, I do wish that "art" included the type of art that is built into a project. I'm thinking of things like the lions on Calgary's centre street bridge. It would be nice to see that 1% invested in the structure to include something special rather than just something completely separate that is plunked down in the same general area. I'm not suggesting for a moment that we copy Calgary and stick lions and silly cowboy statues everywhere. I'm just saying that where a structure is being built, that extra 1% could be used to do some interesting things. Perhaps that is what happened with 23rd Ave overpass and those interesting steel things that stick out with 23rd ave on them.

I think that this piece near the Fort Edmonton administration building might be nicer next to a major freeway due to the colours and the balls might be nice close to Fort Edmonton. That's my two balls .... I mean cents worth.

[Komrade]

Finally seen it. Is a great piece. However much smaller than I thought. Its in a terrible place. I thought if this piece was twice the side, maybe it would be a good roadside feature, but it really should be in an area with heavy pedestrian use

[RRH]

I just finished watching the last Amazing Race episode and the final 10 minutes blew my mind! The pitstop was at the Atomium in Brussels, a giant representation of the molecular structure of crystaline iron. The atoms are silver balls. Please google it or paste the link below to see this monument.

I was then thinking of our silver balls and while at first I was ambivalent towards the piece it quickly receded to ugly in my opinion, and meaningless. What do you guys think if we would have built an interactive benzene ring ( essentially a hexagon with big silver atoms at each corner) to signify the oil base of this town and province? Sized appropriately, with interior lights in the "carbon" balls it would have looked stunning imho, as shown by Atomium.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomium

[Edmonton PRT]

Good post RRH

[booster]

Very cool idea! Could be at the University with all the engineering or science and use it as a viewing point. Or maybe Rossdale so that is seen by all coming into downtown from the south. Why not be proud of what we do and have as a natural resource.

[Barry N]

Can you image the uproar if something along the lines of this was built in Edmonton. The critics of The Talus Dome would have a field day.

[McBoo]

$133 million new Walterdale bridge should include a $1.3 million budget for art - quite possibly on the Rossdale lands.

$1.3 will buy something pretty spectacular. Perhaps, given the Aboriginal burial site, something from an Alberta, Cree artist?

[Alex.L]

I'd be much more inclined to have the city spread the money around and do a series of pieces which encourage adventuring into the river valley trails, or just tying together the neighborhood rather than having a $1.3M piece which may or may not be a lightning rod for criticism.

[Voice]

Originally Posted by Ander

I'd be much more inclined to have the city spread the money around and do a series of pieces which encourage adventuring into the river valley trails, or just tying together the neighborhood rather than having a $1.3M piece which may or may not be a lightning rod for criticism.

I do agree. I just returned from Calgary and was spending a week in what they call the belt-line area. It is between 11th and 17th ave and 1st to at least 4th streets SW. They have nice art at each corner on 4th street. Not million dollar pieces but nice. It was there where people walk and it made the area look quite classy. I would prefer the balls be set up in Rossdale, Oliver or Downtown. Better still, buy two $500K pieces and spread the art around. We don't need much by way of art on a freeway, especially since the drivers should be focused on what they are doing, not on the art. Put it where the people are.

[KC]

Ok so I've been driving by, staring at, walking around that big pile of rock on the north side of the Quesnell bridge and realized that those silver balls would look really fantastic (and meaningful) perched on top of that rock pile. Then I thought, geez I've been so dumb. Thinking that this art was a poor misplaced idea all this time that's been the plan all along!

It'll be stunning piece of art when completed!

[Medwards]

It is complete and in its (new) final location. It was originally planned to go on the northside against one of the curves of the holding wall... but they found issues with putting it there.

Original plan:

[Dialog]

Wish they'd stuck with the original location.

[moahunter]

^its better where its harder to see

[Doug]

i like it. It will give people something to talk about as they drive along the Whitemud.

[edmonton daily photo]

it isn't completed unless the whole park has been landscaped.. last time i was going past it this wasn't done.

[RichardS]

...looking at the original plan, and knowing the scale of the retaining walls, the open shell casing of buckshot would have to be much bigger than what we have now in order to scale up...

...and it would still be out of place.

...let's just face it...nice idea...bad execution...bad location...

[RichardS]

Originally Posted by Edmonton PRT

Good post RRH

...but...

this has scale...could be modified for other uses within the atoms...and you can stop and walk around to appreciate it...not stare and lose concentration while driving to see the big pile of ....*screech*...*crash*

[Medwards]

^ one might be driving too fast to notice the very accessible multi use trail that goes right beside in, and the fact that the trail is fairly well used.

[KC]

Think of how it would look on top of that rock pile (what's it there for otherwise).

And an easy fix to an otherwise odd situation.

Anyone care to photoshop the two together for us?

[AAAAE]

Not every piece of art will be universally loved.. that is the point of art.

I personally do like it though.

[edmonton daily photo]

I like it.. Not in that location.

[Medwards]

What's wrong with the location? Consider where the project got its funding from in your answer

[jdk13]

because of the way it was designed to "spill out" of the retaining walls, the alternative location is lesser in my opinion

[jdk13]

also, i think it looks better from the inside

[Voice]

It appears that some changes to my gallery have caused some images to disappear. This should bring some back.

[Komrade]

I dunno I still think its pretty nice.

[howie]

Very nice pics. I hope that kid's not about to take a whiz on them.

[Voice]

Originally Posted by howie

Very nice pics. I hope that kid's not about to take a whiz on them.

It does look that way but I can assure you that he did not and would not.

[KC]

Someday those are going to be vandalized. Imagine driving to work someday only to find hundreds of eye balls looking over at you.

Or huge spider legs stretching out from behind it...

[darkmagnoblade]

Originally Posted by KC

Someday those are going to be vandalized. Imagine driving to work someday only to find hundreds of eye balls looking over at you.

Or huge spider legs stretching out from behind it...

Where have you been they were vandalized once already.