The Town of Collingwood announced the artist and design for a new sculpture to be installed at the Tremont Plaza by next summer.
William W. Hung has been selected as the artist for the new public art installation that will be in the courtyard between the Tremont building and the Collingwood Public Library off Simcoe Street.
According to the town's announcement released this evening, the artwork is called "Dare to Dream" and it features a rhinoceros cast in bronze and perched on top of a seven-and-a-half foot stainless steel arc. The rhino is leaping as if about to take flight, and is being lifted by eight balloons (made from aluminium) painted the colours of the original rainbow Pride flag.
“We are excited about William’s proposal,” said Tanya Mazza, Collingwood's coordinator of arts and culture, in a news release from the town. “This artwork will captivate viewers with its uniqueness and whimsicality and invite exploration and conversation about belonging, being oneself and making space for everyone in our community to do the same.”
In Hung’s proposal, the steel arc suggests a rainbow and the rhinoceros represents the LGBTQ2S+ community, a symbol first used in 1974.
The town's original artist call out for the project required the art to celebrate LGBTQ2S+ life in Collingwood. A working group made of community members was struck for the project to form the call-out and select an artist. Hung was selected from 24 entries, and a shortlist of four artists.
“The committee was instrumental in getting us to this point and we are grateful for the time and energy they invested in this project, added Mazza in the news release. “Now we can’t wait to see William’s proposal come to life.”
Funds for the project have been building in a reserve that was established in 2012 by Collingwood Council. The theme for the project was proposed by the Rainbow Club of South Georgian Bay and approved by Council in 2020. The total project budget is $50,000.
Dare to Dream is scheduled to be installed in Spring/Summer 2022.
