CENTENNIAL LEGACY ART DESIGNS REVEALED

The four permanent, outdoor artworks for Saskatchewan's gateway communities will help residents and visitors celebrate a province with art in our heart and will trigger fond memories of 2005 for years to come.

Sky Dance, by Douglas Bentham will be installed in Lloydminster while Jefferson Little's Spinning Prairie will be added to Estevan's horizon. Doorways to Opportunity by Lionel Auburn Peyachew will become a landmark in Yorkon, and La Ronge will receive Chris St. Amand's piece entitled Portage.

"These centennial art pieces will showcase Saskatchewan's spirit and heart for years to come," Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 chair and Moose Jaw North MLA Glenn Hagel said. "As people visit or pass by these landmarks in Saskatchewan's second century, they will be reminded of our special centennial year."

Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 partnered with the Saskatchewan Arts Board, which was responsible for establishing the jury to select the semi-finalists and four final centennial designs.

"It was important to involve the communities from the start of the project as their support was vital," Saskatchewan Arts Board Executive Director Jeremy Morgan said. "Each artwork has a unique feel because the artists interpreted the spirit of both the province and each individual community when designing these legacy installations."

Community representatives will also continue to serve as important resources throughout the final design and installation process. Bentham of Dundurn, Peyachew of Red Pheasant First Nation, and Little and St. Amand - both of Regina - will have an opportunity to meet and discuss their works as a group prior to the construction and installation phases.

"Together, these artworks demonstrate diversity in art styles and mediums and capture our proud heritage, our promising future and the pride of our great people," Hagel said. "And these pieces will serve as artistic welcome signs for people traveling into our province from across the world."

The artworks will be unveiled in the fall after installation. The four models of the initial designs will tour the four host communities through the summer months.

For more information on the art projects, including high-resolution photos of the scale model replicas, are available on the Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 website at www.sask2005.ca.

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For More Information, Contact:

Chris Shauf Saskatchewan Centennial 2005 Regina Phone: (306)787-1254 Cell: (306)530-5775