An artist whose most celebrated work, 鈥楽pirit of Sail鈥, became synonymous with the City of sa国际传媒, died Wednesday.听听
Robert Dow Reid was 91.听
Dow Reidsa国际传媒 iconic sculpture, its billowing forms taken to suggest the interplay of wind, water, and canvas, was airlifted into place on the downtown waterfront by a helicopter in 1978. One of the first pieces in the citysa国际传媒 public art collection, it is perhaps the most photographed single object in sa国际传媒 and for many years served as the citysa国际传媒 official logo.听
鈥淲e are heartbroken to announce the passing of our beloved father,鈥 his family said in a statement. 鈥淗is artistic spirit and deep love for beauty touched the lives of so many. While we mourn his loss, we celebrate the extraordinary life he lived and the timeless work he leaves behind.鈥
Dow Reid also created 鈥楻hapsody鈥, a joyful sculpture of frolicking dolphins, installed at the entrance to Waterfront Park in 1993. That sculpture was criticized by some who noted, accurately if pedantically, that there are no dolphins in Okanagan Lake.听
Dow Reid came naturally by his affinity for, and appreciation of water. Born in Scotland, he sailed aboard whaling vessels in the 鈥40s and 鈥50s. 鈥淭hat experience left a profound imprint on his artistic vision, influencing the flowing, oceanic motifs that characterize many of his most celebrated works,鈥 the family statement said.听
Dow Reid moved to sa国际传媒 in 1964 and in his artistic career often focused on movement, nature, and human connection.听
His works, fashioned from antique ivory, teak, and honey onyx, are included in private and public collections around the world, including one that was held by Queen Elizabeth II.听
鈥淭hrough his visionary works, he not only enhanced the visual landscape of the Okanagan, but also invited generations to reflect on the beauty of the natural word and our relationship with it,鈥 the family statement said.听
Other local pieces of art created by Dow Reid include 鈥榃est Wind鈥 at sa国际传媒 General Hospital, and 鈥楬armony鈥, next to a downtown high-rise.
But it is 鈥楽pirit of Sail鈥, usually referred to simply as 鈥楾he Sails鈥, and used as a meeting point and a directional reference, a place to relax where the city and lake come together, which soars as his legacy work.听
In a review of public art pieces in the Okanagan, this newspaper wrote in 2018: 鈥淭here is no piece of art in the entire Okanagan as recognizable and impactful as Spirit of Sail鈥.鈥
Dow Reid himself applied a different calculus when appraising his finished work.听
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 really matter to me whether my art is considered good or bad, though hopefully itsa国际传媒 not treated indifferently,鈥 he once said. 鈥淲hat matters to me is that I know itsa国际传媒 my best at the time I鈥檓 doing it.鈥
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