Trans Am Totem, Public sculpture at Quebec Street and Milross Avenue, Vancouver, Canada.
The Trans Am Totem is a sculpture made from five stacked cars mounted on a cedar tree trunk near False Creek. The installation rises about 10 meters tall and uses solar power to light up the headlights and taillights of the vehicles after dark.
The piece was created in 2015 by artist Marcus Bowcott for the Vancouver Biennale. The idea came from his observations of cars being used as barriers along riverbanks.
The sculpture brings together automotive parts and Indigenous craftsmanship through a bear claw carving by Squamish artist Rick Harry on the cedar trunk. This blend shows how modern and traditional art forms meet in one creation.
The sculpture sits at the corner of Quebec Street and Milross Avenue and is easily visible from the road. The location is freely accessible and offers the best viewing experience in the evening when the solar lighting activates.
Every vehicle stacked in the installation had its mechanical parts removed to significantly reduce the overall weight. This careful dismantling allowed the artist to stack five cars on a single structure without overwhelming it.
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