Northumberland News, October 16, 2014
Rod Bergeron’s Cityscape built from Tim Hortons’ cups on display until Nov. 9 – Northumberland News, October 16, 2014.
COLBORNE — A doodle on a coffee cup turned into nine city blocks in a new sculpture piece.
Rod Bergeron’s exhibit ‘Home’ opened at The Colborne Art Gallery on Oct. 4 and runs until Nov. 9.
Mr. Bergeron, formerly in military service and now a graduate student at the Ontario College of Art and Design University, created a two-part sculpture installation featured in the exhibit. The Baltimore artist began his utopian ideal city titled Cupville, with doodles of city imagery on a coffee cup in class.
He then carved out windows and doors and soon envisioned the possibilities of this simple craft. The cups were turned inside-out and he didn’t stop until nine complete city blocks were created.
“I didn’t know where to stop,” he said.
He cut out housing, workplaces, stores, parks and even racks that include 13 tiny bicycles, all from cardboard Tim Hortons’ cups, he said.
Mr. Bergeron is poised to graduate next spring from OCADU and the installation was made for his thesis project. The artist’s wife, Kim Bergeron, is a built environment and health specialist. Together they have become fascinated with the health and wellbeing of city dwellers. Ms. Bergeron works hard to affect policy that will improve the quality of life and the workability of a city, and Mr. Bergeron makes some of these ideas visible.
The other part of Mr. Bergeron’s show is called ‘The War Machine Project’. This work is crafted from repurposed toys. Knights in armour are seamlessly merged with Second World War action heroes. Houses and trains turn upside-down and army men grow dinosaur heads in the piece.
The Colborne Art Gallery is at 51 King St. E., Colborne.