Fish Trap Way (2014)

Thomas Cannell , Susan A. Point

6031 River Road

Area: City Centre
Location: Between Gilbert Road/Dinsmore Bridge and the No. 2 Road Bridge on the East West promenade and the dyke trail

Materials: Powder-coated, bent aluminum; waterjet cut stone inlay, sandblasted basalt

Program: Private
Ownership: Private
Sponsored By: ASPAC

Description of Work

The piece that harmonizes the salmon theme, a contemporary colour blended aluminum Fish Trap. Fish silhouettes are pierced out from the one-inch aluminum and gently rounded so as not to leave any sharp edges. The negative fish silhouettes make a positive design element ... roots, from the great western red cedar. It also resembles the cedars boughs hanging loosely in the wind. Motifs of plants and even a suggested heron's wing are symbolic of the local wetlands while the entire design symbolizes fish caught in a trap.

Artist Statement

Salish Markers and Medallion Inlay.

For thousands of years salmon have been integral to the maturity of the Musqueam nation and culture.

Markers like these traditionally identified places and boundaries; these two basalt Salish Markers represent the journeys that salmon must make in order to continue the cycle of life and maintain their survival. The adult salmon embodied on the Salish Markers include copper domed eyes. Copper, a traditional form of wealth to Northwest Coast First Nations, symbolizes the inherent value of the salmon among First Nations communities.

The two Salish Stools each have a design reflecting the importance of the connections in nature, which are vital for a stable environment.

Set in the path along Fish Trap Way, a bright Coast Salish Medallion, Salmon Cycle inlay represents salmon waiting for the full moon, which is when salmon journey up the river in abundant numbers. It used to be told that, one could walk across the backs of the millions of fish in the water; therefore this motif was placed in the path so that their backs can be walked across,

a tribute to the rich natural history of this marvelous animal.

Salmon Eddy

Salmon Eddy (Salish Fish Trap), a contemporary colour blended aluminum Fish Trap, is the piece that harmonizes the salmon theme. The negative fish silhouettes make a positive design element. Motifs of plants and even a suggested heron’s wing are symbolic of the local wetlands while the entire design symbolizes fish caught in a trap.

The design is influenced by an aerial view of the tidal waters around Richmond; at low water, the drainage ditches around the shoreline resemble roots, the lifelines of our culture.