A message from Marcus Canning

Following is a message from artist Marcus Canning regarding the installation of Ascalon, scheduled for this coming Sunday morning.

This is to let you know that the bulk of the St George's Sculpture Project commission is being installed this Sunday, 15 August, 9am - 11am, in St George's Cathedral forecourt, opposite Council House, Perth.

Ascalon is large - all 18m of the work will travel down St Georges Terrace on an extended semi-T, with two cranes then lifting and inserting the work into the pre-cast foundation.

If anyone is looking for something memorable to do with their Sunday morning in Perth and enjoys the slow spectacle of large object logistics, then you, your friends and family are more than welcome. It will be an interesting photo opportunity.

A small section of the hoardings surrounding the site during landscape works will be removed for viewing; we only ask that people stay within the designated viewing area as it is a building site with large machinery in operation.

After Sunday, the rest of the landscaping occurring in the St George's Cathedral forecourt will continue, with the base forms of Ascalon installed further down the track.

The 'lights on' grand launch of the work will happen later in the year once all landscape works are complete.

Above right are some recent images of the work in development and one of the original proposal images.The central lance shaft is mirror polished stainless steel under the black plastic wrap - and will be uncovered on Sunday. The large black base forms to be installed later are faceted plate steel.

Ascalon is a collaboration between myself and Christian DeVietri who is in NYC. We worked closely with another New Yorker, Eldad Lev, on the modelling. The fabrication of the work has occurred entirely in WA and has involved a range of brilliant collaborating firms and companies including:
Capital House Australasia
ICC
Composite Components
Swarbrick & Swarbrick
Diverse Welding Services
Cays Engineering

Both Christian and Eldad will be here for the launch later in the year, which will be a true celebration of all the individuals and teams that have created the work, as well as the commissioner - St George's Cathedral, with patron Mark Creasy.

For those not in Perth to have a squizz over the coming weeks and months, and / or who are interested in greater insight, interviews with key individuals involved in the design and fabrication, images and footage from the various stages of fabrication, the installation and the complete work will go on this website after the launch later in the year.

Marcus Canning