Skip to content

The whole family gets a scrubbing, and more

Company hired to rejuvenate "The Family" in St. George's Square

A bearded man in overalls and a hard hat was seen power-washing an iconic nude sculpture in downtown Guelph on Monday. He’ll be back often as the week progresses.

The work is part of an overall spiffing up of “The Family” sculpture and fountain in St. George’s Square, among Guelph’s most recognizable public features.

Alexander Gabov is good at this sort of thing. He owns Conservation of Sculptures, Monuments and Objects, and has cleaned, refurbished, and rejuvenated numerous public works of art, including three others by “The Family” maker William McElcheran.

The city is paying about $14,000 for the conservation and fountain maintenance work. That will make about $29,000 that has been spent on the fountain and sculpture in the last five years.

Jen Rafter, the city’s cultural program and event coordinator said in an email that bronze elements of the statue, its frog waterspout, and the plaque affixed to it are in poor condition, showing signs of corrosion and deterioration. There is a chalky lime-scale buildup in places.

Cleaning and refurbishing prolongs the life of the sculpture and returns it to the original lustre intended by the artist, she indicated. The sculpture will have new patina applied, and will get a hot wax treatment for added protection.

Gabov is scheduled to work through Thursday on the artwork at the corner of Wyndham and Quebec streets.

“I’d say the history behind how it came to be, the controversy of the realistic nude figures, and the artist’s fame and life’s work all add to “The Family’s” significance,” Rafter said in an email, in response to questions. “Its central location in the heart of the city makes it one of the most accessible pieces of public art in our collection. It’s also a reminder of how one suggestion or idea can result in something iconic and physically permanent, while supporting a belief that lives on endlessly.”

“The Family” was unveiled in 1985. It is symbolic of the universal family, and represents the many races and cultures that call Guelph home. The frog element was installed in 1987, a gift to the community from the artist. McElcheran (1927-1999) studied in Canada and Italy.

About $15,000 was spent in 2012 to repair a crack in the leg of the male figure of the sculpture. Scaling was removed at that time, and there was a hot wax treatment as well.

Initially, the sculpture raised eyebrows and outcries when it was first unveiled, with many objecting to the full nudity of the life-sized figures. McElcheran was unapologetic, and the controversy eventually subsided.

The funds for the sculpture were raised by Guelph citizens at the suggestion of the local Italian-Canadian community.


Comments

Verified reader

If you would like to apply to become a verified commenter, please fill out this form.




Rob O'Flanagan

About the Author: Rob O'Flanagan

Rob O’Flanagan has been a newspaper reporter, photojournalist and columnist for over twenty years. He has won numerous Ontario Newspaper Awards and a National Newspaper Award.
Read more