Art installation will complement features of Burlington community centre.

An art installation that represents the urgency of protecting the environment has been selected to stand in front of a Burlington community centre.

The work, selected by a jury from several submissions, is entitled Ephemeral Reverie and was designed by Markham-based multimedia artist Xiaojing Yan.

More than 500 entries were submitted for the project that will become part of the Skyway Community Centre. The artwork will be installed later this year.

Yan’s work will be crafted with an eco-friendly and recyclable type of concrete and explore the theme of the community centre’s ethos of reducing carbon footprints and embracing green initiatives. The artist says the installation can be reborn, and its materials repurposed, emphasizing the continuous cycle of community renewal and rejuvenation.

“In the heart of Skyway Community Centre, Ephemeral Reverie is an art installation that not only whispers of environmental urgency but also binds the community’s heartbeat. Crafted from different hues of coloured concrete, it paints a melancholic picture of melting icebergs, echoing the climate’s distress call,” explained Yan about what she intends to create.

She said the work will help guide people to the main entrance of the community.

“Furthermore, it acts as a testament to the community’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. Its vivid design complements the centre’s fresh architecture, serving as both a reminder of our bond with nature and our duty to protect it.,” she said.

Yan’s projects have been featured in venues throughout Canada as well as China, France, the United States and Greece. She has also been the recipient of numerous grants and awards.

Her selection was chosen by a jury with he help of public feedback on submissions that were chosen as finalists.