Photo by Denis Bouvier

Second Date is the latest and fourth installation at Vancouver Art Gallery Offsite, located outside the Shangri-La Hotel on Georgia Street.  It’s been created by award-winning Vancouver-based sculptor Elspeth Pratt who has been exhibited both nationally and internationally.  She uses ready-made industrial materials to redefine our urban space and certainly succeeds.

Two walls are built at right angles bordering a reflective pool which flows over a bright yellow shape made from vinyl.  The two walls are lined with vertical wave-like forms which create a sense of fluidity to the reflective nature of the walls.  The pool reflects the colour of the yellow shape onto the walls and the walls themselves reflect the surrounding buildings, sky, as well as the moving shapes of cars and people.  What you see reflected depends on the varying light conditions and so would change throughout the day.

The whole effect is quite arresting and beautiful.  There’s something essentially refreshing and uplifting about it which really is a transformative effect amongst the density of the area.  Second Date can be seen until January 8, 2012.