Immense Mode

Immense Mode is an immediately recognizable work. Made from 42,000 pounds of brick and mortar, the sculpture is an expression of whimsy, which, at 20 feet tall, demands your attention.

Red Deer-based artists Dawn Detarando and Brian McArthur imagined the legs to represent the thousands of real, human legs that will use the transit centre by standing and waiting for a bus or a train, or walking to and from the shopping centre. After all, public transit is only partly about trains and buses; the rest is up to us. Our own locomotion takes us places and transit can complete the connections along the way. It’s a symbol of that shared experience, meant to inspire a smile during an otherwise routine commute.

The massive legs are a nod to the history of monumental sculpture, while at the same time representing the artwork movements of craft and kitsch — a contrast of genre and content, as well as a contrast to the sleek utilitarianism design of the station itself. 

Because of its size, the piece is as much a work of engineering as it is art, as the entire structure is supported by a welded metal superstructure. The artists have built the sculptural form around the engineered framework from specially fired, hand-carved bricks made at their Red Deer studio.

The artists are also known for tile mosaics, such as those found at the Red Deer Recreation Centre and the Killarney Pool in Calgary. Both artists also work independently, primarily in the medium of ceramics.