Dedication of Public Commission
Atlanta Artist Chris Condon 95 SC has just completed and installed a public commission for the parklet at Greenwood Ave and the Beltline in the Virginia Highland neighborhood, entitled “ Canis Rufus.
The piece is a trio of Red Wolves making their way across an abandoned section of elevated railroad track, cautiously watching pedestrians on the Beltline. The red wolf is a native species that once roamed Georgia as well as other states in the Southeast, and is is now highly endangered. This small wolf pack has been pushed out of their habitat and the parklet has become their island home. The crumbling brick columns and the rail road track references the B. Mifflin Hood Brickworks as well as the other industry and the rail line that once filled the area and is a sign of how our growth has an impact on the environment. But the presence of the wolves is also a message of hope that we can still make changes to protect and clean up our environment.
Animals and nature are a constant source and inspiration for Condon’s work. He chose the Red Wolf for this commission as a way to bring attention to the plight of this endangered native southeastern resident. Chris sculpted the three life sized wolves in concrete using a process known as Ferro Cement. The elevated rail road track is constructed out of columns of repurposed bricks. Chris collected the bricks from demolished sites along the beltline and ran a brick collection drive last Spring, where he collected over 200 bricks from residents of the Virginia Highland neighborhood. This community involvement gave awareness and ownership to the work the the neighborhood, something Chris’s feels strongly about.
Canis Rufus has been transferred to the City as part of Atlanta’s Public Art Collection, and will be officially dedicated this October.
