The Arts Collective Olds has unveiled a new public art installation.
Sunflower, created by Kaska Tahltan artist Kyle Organ, was recently unveiled on the Kinh Vietnamese Restaurant in town.
"For this piece I drew inspiration from interactive ‘graffiti’ art where the viewers are able to pose and take snapshots with the artwork," said Organ's artist statement.
"As a result, I ended up with the idea of a lamp that turns on from a dangle that can be mock-held by the viewer."
Organ said she wanted the art piece to be significant to Olds and Alberta as a whole, leading her to spend time thinking of physical symbols of the community.
"The geometric ray holds those symbols in the form of fields, mountains, windmills, and the chinook sky. All of which are physical aspects that make Alberta unique as a province and are things that are appreciated in Olds and the surrounding area," said the artist statement.
"The use of the sunflower as the lamp came to me when I was brainstorming how to bring the abstract sense of community and unity that is found in Olds, to the piece. The use of a plant form to convey the community seemed natural as it hosts an agricultural college and historically has a dependency on the land for its prosperity. It was also a way to bring the collective whimsy of the town to the piece. Metaphorically, this mural highlights the effort of the community to illuminate the land we live on. The area would not be great without the hard work of the people of Olds to make it so."