Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
NL

Art from ashes: St. John's sculptor designing monument to Alberta wildfires

Sculptor Morgan MacDonald is in talks with a Fort McMurray MP to create a bronze statue to honour firefighters, first responders, and all acts of kindness during the Alberta wildfires.
Carolyn Stokes · CBC News ·
Sculptor Morgan Macdonald said the scale of destruction is surreal. Neighbourhoods look like war zones. (Office of David Yurdiga)

When artist Morgan MacDonald watched in horror the news coverage of wildfires consuming Fort McMurray in May, he felt his DNA drawing him there.

"I know a lot of Newfoundlanders have a strong connection with Fort Mac, so I just felt the need to go up there and see it first hand."

Being an artist known for creating bronze sculptures commemorating tragedies of extraordinary magnitude that honour the people who rise above it, he felt a familiar tug of inspiration.

MacDonald is searching for a design worthy of such a significant event. (Office of David Yurdiga)

So he boarded a plane in August, and toured the aftermath.

"The sheer scale of it is just surreal," MacDonald said. "If you picture walking through a suburban neighbourhood and it's almost like a war zone ... there's nothing left. Just the remnants of personal items, like a child's bicycle, just curled up from the heat, a mangled mess." 

MP David Yurdiga has invited MacDonald to design a monument and says it's important so people won't forget the work put into saving the city. (Office of David Yurdiga)

While there, MacDonald met with David Yurdiga. The Fort McMurray-Cold Lake MP feels the city needs a monument to commemorate the wildfires, firefighters, first responders and the community. And he wants Morgan to create it.

"[MacDonald] has done incredible work commemorating the heroes of this country," said Yurdiga in an email to CBC.

"From his World War One sculpture to the memorial that was built in Moncton to commemorate the slain RCMP officers, his work is second to none."

MacDonald has designed other sculpture, commemorating the First World War and slain RCMP officers. (morgansculpt.ca)

MacDonald said there's no official deal yet. Right now they are focusing on the daunting task of design. 

He's searching for the image that captures the essence of heroism and humanity in the face of an inferno.

MacDonald is turning to the community for help. He hopes to engage the people in the creative process. He wants to hear their stories.

"As an artist you can't really operate in a vacuum and basically dictate what you feel is best because at the end of the day it's Fort McMurray that's really affected by this."

The monument could cost in the vicinity of $2 million, an estimate based on past projects of similar size. 

Yurdiga said once the design is decided, there will be fundraising to pay for it. 

"When the work is done we will have a piece of art that will be something the people of Fort McMurray can reflect upon for generations to come."

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices·About CBC News
Corrections and clarifications·Submit a news tip·

Related Stories