By Ian Holmes

Creator of Maffeo Sutton ‘Frame’ working with City to replace popular piece

Dec 20, 2017 | 11:25 AM

NANAIMO — A well-known landmark at Nanaimo’s Maffeo Sutton Park is coming down, but there’s hope a permanent replacement will follow.

The extremely popular and interactive piece titled Frame will be removed Thursday (Dec. 21) morning, according to the City.

The project, part of the Temporary Outdoor Art Program, was only supposed to be standing for one year, but has instead been the focal point of countless pictures over five-plus years.

However, the wooden-framed creation is now considered beyond repair.

“It’s popular and we want to work toward the possibility of having another version there,” creator Jason Gress told NanaimoNewsNOW. “I’m currently working with the City, obviously we’d have to go through all of the appropriate channels with the City and make sure it’s approved by Council.”

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Gress got the idea for Frame at a Hawaiian restaurant where people were posing through a moose head to take pictures.

“I was thinking, there has to be a better, cooler version of that.”

Gress, an artist and visual arts professor at VIU, was “blown away” by the public’s reaction to his creation, noting it hasn’t been vandalized once.

“It has become part of the experience in the park and it’s a way to commemorate people visiting there or to commemorate other events, which is beyond my expectation for what I hoped for the piece.”

Gress’ plan is to create an aluminum version of the piece with more elaborate detailing. A City news release said a Council will receive a staff report in the new year with options for replacement.

ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes