‘Giant’ art installation honours Terry Fox

Terry Fox crossed borders. For a sculpture to do him justice, the artist reasoned, it would have to traverse time.

Sculptor Casto Solano was in his studio when he got word that Port Coquitlam was interested in an artistic tribute to Fox. (Solano’s responses have been translated from Spanish to English.)

“My inspiration was practically immediate,” Solano explained in an email to the Dispatch.

It would have to be big.

“[Fox] achieved enormous things, with a gigantic personality, through gigantic effort and personal sacrifice,” Solano wrote. “Hence the concept for a Gateway of Giants.”

Beyond the scale of the sculpture, Solano soon realized he didn’t want this sculpture to highlight a moment. He wanted it to pay tribute to a life.

“I knew that this artwork needed to traverse time; connecting Terry’s youth in Port Coquitlam with his later life and achievements, and so the concept of dual sculptures, bridging this time in physical space, crystalized very quickly,” Solano explained.

While the sculptures haven’t yet been unveiled, Terry’s niece Kirsten Fox expressed her support in a press release from the city.

“This new statue of a young Terry is especially meaningful, as it reflects his roots and the early years that helped shape his determination and values,” she stated.

If all goes well, the sculptures will stand for generations, Solano stated.

“They are expressly made to bring everybody together and into contact with Terry and his story,” he stated. “I believe that this is fundamental for successful public art; whatever the theme or context, it should never be exclusive. Specific, maybe, but always open to everyone, whether this be to contemplate, remember, celebrate, discover, or re-discover.”

Hopefully, the sculptures inspire onlookers to learn more about Terry Fox and to feel empowered in their own lives.

“If this is a gateway of giants, it refers not just to Terry, but the giant within each of us.”

The sculpture is set to be unveiled in front of the Port Coquitlam Community Centre on Sept. 13 to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope