Ingrid Koivukangas
Environmental
Artist
Responding to sites around
the world through works
created in site specific
installation, intervention, ephemeral sculpture,
video, sound,
web, permanent
site-specific sculpture,
photography, printmaking,
painting & drawing.
Welcoming
opportunities
to work in different
geographic regions
& locations
in the world, creating
site-specific works in
response to the land.
|
South
Saskatchewan River Project: Saskatoon – Meewasin |
The
Otter is a mythological
animal
in many cultures including Peru where it was an important cult figure,
the Celts revered Otter as a companion of Cernunnos, Lord of the Animals,
and to the First Nations Otter is associated with the feminine energy
and the power of the Earth and Waters. Otter sits on the
banks across from the Delta Besborough, under the walking trail and
above the river trail. On the morning that Otter was being installed
on the cliffs, a river otter, perhaps the same one that I first met,
swam and watched from the river below, then crossed the river and returned
again, as if watching the process. Otter size approximately: 15'x15'.
The hawk is said to be a solar bird with the same significance as Eagle
and Falcon and was much revered in ancient Egypt as a Sun-God, in Greece
as the messenger of Apollo, and in India Hawk brings soma from Heaven,
in Borneo Hawk is a prophetic bird with feathers that have healing powers,
in Australia Hawk is a deity, and in First Nations stories hawk helped
create the world after the Flood and is also known as the messenger from
the Creator. When we arrived at the cliffs across from the Mendel to install
Hawk, a birds nest, containing the remains of four medium
sized brown eggs, was found in the tall grasses just above the cliff.
This was by far the most difficult work to install, the cliffside was
very steep and many times it felt as if I would take flight. After the
installation was completed, we travelled to the Mendel side of the river
to view the piece -- while we were there a hawk flew over the site, swooping
down low over the work, and cried out as it passed over.
Hawk size approximately:
20'x15'.
The frog
is believed to be the rainmaker, bringing fertility and new life while
also symbolizing life and resurrection. The Great Frog is said to be one
of the traditional supporters of the Universe, and Ancient Egyptians had
a Frog Goddess, Egyptian Christians used Frog as a symbol of new birth;
the Chinese say that the Frog Spirit is a healer, while in Greco-Roman
symbolism Frog represents harmony between lovers and is an emblem of Aphrodite/
Venus, the Celts say that Frog is the Lord of the Earth, and some First
Nations shamans use Frog for cleansing power, and Frog is the totem for
the Hopi Water Clan. Frog is on a sandbar island, shaped
like a tadpole, that sits in the Saskatchewan River and was the only work
that involved an actual journey on, and across, the river. A canoe was
used to transport rocks to the site – the crossing was made three
times. While Frog was being installed a tadpole-nearly-frog was seen walking
along the point of the sandbar, just inches from the work. The site chosen
is the ‘head’ of the sandbar island, or the point, and was chosen
to honour frogs emerging from the tadpole shape and from the river, and
then returning to the river again as a frog. Frog is best viewed from
the air, or from the east side of the University Bridge, or from the path
just under the University President’s Residence.
Frogsize approximately:
20'x12'.
The Butterfly
is revered as a symbol of spiritual transformation in many cultures and
they are believed to be the souls of the dead and the keepers of the power
– the ancient Greeks depicted the departed soul as a butterfly, the
Blackfoot and Sarcee, of Alberta, like the ancient Greeks and Romans,
associate the butterfly with the wandering consciousness in the dream
state, while the Aztec and Maya, symbolize the god of cosmic fire as a
butterfly. During the installation of Butterfly many different
types of butterflies flew in and out of the installation site which is
set on the banks, just before the weir.
Butterfly size
approximately: 18'x18'.
South
Saskatchewan River Project: Saskatoon – Meewasin is based on the
section of the river between the Victoria and McDonald Bridges in downtown
Saskatoon. I was invited to create a new work that would honour the
river while inviting viewers to journey along the river, and to connect
with it, in a new way. I had no idea what would emerge before I arrived
in Saskatoon, and my first three days were spent walking the many trails
along the river on both the east and west sides. During all of the walks
the abundance of animal life became apparent, either through direct
encounter or through signs left behind – tracks and spoor –
and dwelling places like beaver houses, nests, webs and entrances to
underground dens. Birds – hawks, eagles, pelicans, geese, crows,
robins, ducks, catbirds and others: shared the sky, while otters, beavers,
frogs, fish: the river, and deer, chipmunks, prairie dogs, muskrats,
mice: the land, while dragonflies, butterflies and other insects remained
almost hidden. I decided to do a series of works that honoured the animal
life, and animal spirits, along the river.
The sites of the installations were chosen during these initial walks
along the river, at places that seemed touched by magic. On the first
morning a river otter followed me from the Victoria Bridge to just past
the Broadway – this marked the first site – across from the
Delta Besborough. On the trails near the University Hospital a hawk
swooped down and cried, marking the second site, on the side of the
hill across from the Mendel Gallery. The third site, on a sandbar near
the University Bridge, was chosen because a small frog was seen along
the riverbank, across from the sandbar island that is shaped like a
tadpole. The final site, near the weir, is set on a hill that was alight
with butterflies – and it seemed that butterflies followed me wherever
I went.
The symbolic and mythological meanings of Otter, Hawk, Frog and Butterfly
were researched over the next few days, while the search began for rocks
to be used in the installations. Adrian Stimson, the intern on this
project, took me on trips to various locations, including Whitecap Park,
to look for rocks. It turns out that the South Saskatchewan River is
rich in sand -- and there are few rocks to be found. After many phone
calls and much deliberation, it was decided to drive around and search
for rocks left behind in farmers fields – and at Brightwater a
large pile was found at Elwood and Diane Theaker’s – many
thanks to them for their generosity.
The four installation sites are all on the east side of the river and
can be viewed from the walking trails on the east side of the Saskatchewan
River, and from some of the bridges, or from the sky. They are slightly
harder to find in the morning sun, and are best viewed in the late afternoon
when the setting sun lights them, bringing them out of the shadows,
bringing them to life.
Very special thanks to Adrian Stimson for being present, and in the moment, during this project, and to Elwood and Diane Theaker for the rocks, with which this work would not have been realized, and to Alex Badzak and all of the wonderful staff at the Mendel Gallery, and to the Spirits of the river – you all made my trip to Saskatoon memorable and magical.
