Falling into Formation
768 glass fins suspended by steel cables cascade down a two-storey stairwell in the RCMP Annex.
Artist: Jill Anholt
Location: RCMP Annex (14355 57 Avenue)
Category: Civic collection
Year: 2010
About Falling into Formation
Falling into Formation was conceived as a simple yet dynamic and transformative sculpture to engage the imagination of viewers as they pass by. Set in a light-filled two-story stairwell, it consists of a cascade of 768 dichroic glass fins whose colour changes depending on the viewer’s position.
Jill Anholt drew inspiration for this sculpture from the traditions of the RCMP, particularly the experience shared by all cadets at the Regina Depot, where they train in troops of thirty-two cadets for twenty-four weeks. Twenty-four glass fins are hung on thirty-two stainless steel cables. The glass cascade begins as a loose arrangement facing in many directions, to become aligned and fall into formation at the base. The artwork is visible by day or night.
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About the Artist
Jill Anholt is a visual artist based in Vancouver, BC, who has been creating site-specific works in the public realm since 1998. Anholt’s practice ranges from complex integrated works in parks, pedestrian walkways, and transit stations to small-scale installations in buildings and public plazas across North America.
Her installations explore the relationship between nature and infrastructure, body and place; revealing layers of personal and cultural memory and experience. Environmental sustainability plays a generative role in the conceptual development, form, and material expression of many of her works. Along with her art practice, Jill is an instructor at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver.