Running Man

The Work

Three laser-cut steel businessmen are interlocked in running motion. The briefcases carried by each “running man” hold within their clear, cast-resin casings, beads, buttons and imitation coins contributed by members of the community. The etched designs of another running man circle round the work’s columnar base. The forms are similar to depictions of the runners of ancient Greece. They were created with a computer to achieve absolute precision on a steel sheet that was then wrapped around the 2.4m high pedestal.

Running Man was selected to initially stand at the Queensway Transit Station to remind all passing pedestrians and transit riders how rushed we tend to be in our lives, focused on wants and achievements, rather than on the enjoyment of each day. The theme of the running man has been used by the artist in a variety of different art works throughout her career.

“It’s a critique about our natural inclination to want things, and how wealth is the measure of our worth.” (Marion Jamieson)

“The Running Man paradigm is the competitive idea that we are in a win-lose race with one another, rather than that we can work as individuals, communities and nations. I hope we can slow down and think about our lives.” (Marion Jamieson)

The Project

The work was created during the Okanagan Thompson International Sculpture Symposium, The Symposium, from May to September of 2002, was hosted by 8 communities in south central B.C., from Osoyoos to Kamloops. A juried competition in October 2001 led to commissions for 20 sculptors from across Canada and around the world to work in this region-wide “open air” gallery. Residents and visitors had the opportunity to see dramatic works of art fashioned from raw materials while discussing passions and inspirations with the artists. Each of the participating communities benefits from the legacy of the permanent works of art and the opportunity to observe and interact with the artists over an extended period of time. This work is one of 4 acquired by the City of Kelowna as a result of the Symposium.

The sculpture was relocated to its present location when the Queensway Transit Station was renovated in 2015.

The Artist

Marion Lea Jamieson is a Vancouver-based artist who holds a Masters of Arts Degree from the University of British Columbia and a Fine Arts Certificate from the Vancouver School of Art. Jamieson’s portfolio includes public art commissions in BC and France, and her work has also been featured in symposia and group and solo exhibitions in Canada, China, Japan and the US. The recipient of numerous grants and awards, she has been an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists.

“I sculpt because I have a strong desire to communicate ideas that have risen though a lifetime of art practice. These ideas are best expressed in large-scale sculptures because of the physical limitations of construction in three dimensions. There is a built-in need for simplification and abstraction of works that might otherwise appear didactic on a smaller scale or in two dimensions.”