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THE CHINOOK CENTRE

In 1999 artist Russel Zeid of Toronto asked me to participate in a large project for the Chinook Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. A new food court was being built and was to house a number of permanent art installations.

My part was to build one of seven flying machines which would move slowly through the air in the food court, suspended from a moving conveyor track approximately 20 feet above the heads of people below.

After entertaining a variety of ideas, I arrived at something reminiscent of very early drawings of flying machines. Fairly rigid size and weight restrictions governed my ultimate direction. I envisioned something built by da Vinci’s delinquent brother, a renaissance Easy Rider. I built about ten models in total in order to work out all details. The final one-sixth scale model was used as a three dimensional blueprint for the full size version.

The materials used were pine, canvas, 1/8" plywood, metal, foam and acrylic paint. Metal worker Pete Ross custom made the metal corner brackets.

I had a lot of fun with this project and am grateful to Russel for giving me the opportunity to participate. Contributing greatly to the success of the whole endeavor were the project co-ordinators: the awesome Patric and Alastair Coleman of Mobius Group Inc.

Alastair Dickson
2000

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