See the shimmer and flash of Harumi Ota’s "Flying Fish" at Saanich Commonwealth Place. This public art hangs in the stairwell leading up to the newly renovated training center. It combines West Coast First Nations and Japanese culture and imagery, addresses the broad theme of “West Coast” and acknowledges the existing artwork and colours in the facility.
Mr. Ota is an interdisciplinary artist. He trained in ceramics at the Kutani Ceramics Institute in Terai, Japan. He has exhibited his work in Japan, New Zealand, the United States and Canada. Mr. Ota and his family live in Saanich.
About the Project Process
- Saanich Commonwealth Place Training Centre renovation.
- Call to artists on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands: 2005.
Public Art Jury
- Three local artists.
- Local neighbourhood association representative.
- Saanich Parks and Recreation Department staff member.
When we first built Saanich Commonwealth Place, we commissioned First Nation artist Roy Henry Vickers. His artwork reflects the west coast landscape and recognizes the importance the coastal aboriginal peoples had on B.C. and Saanich history and culture. Mr. Vickers designed both the relief murals on the outside and the totem pole in front of the building.
