Fireside (2023)

Nathan Lee

6811 Pearson Way

Area: Olympic Oval Precinct
Location: In the open courtyard of the development

Materials: Powder coated steel Cedar Bench LED Lighting

Program: Private
Ownership: Private
Sponsored By: ASPAC

Description of Work

Fireside imagines what would be left standing in the aftermath of the fire at the historic Brighouse homestead. A 20 foot tall steel chimney stands as the main portion of the artwork. A backlit fuchsia fireplace is inset into the structure of the chimney while a large cedar bench surrounds the entire installation.

Artist Statement

In reviewing the history of this site, artist Nathan Lee learned that an early settler dwelling, likely built in the early 1900’s, was burned down as part of a Richmond Fire Department exercise in 1979. Fireside is a playful reference to the chimney structure that would be left in the aftermath of such a fire, as well as a gathering space with benches oriented around the hearth. The work is, therefore, an invitation to connect, dialogue and exchange ideas. The fireplace, painted a vibrant fuchsia, also references fire and warmth, as well as fireweed, a symbol of ecological rebirth.