Vancouver artist turns Science World barrier into futuristic work of art

At the TELUS World of Science, a Vancouver artist has taken a boring plywood barrier and transformed it into a futuristic work of art.

Street artist Matt Bowen’s newest piece at Telus World of Science transformed what would have simply been a plywood obstruction into a vibrant piece, featuring brilliant colours, robots, and rockets.

“Brian [Radburn at Science World] phoned me up and said ‘I need something for this wall, it has to be kind of science-y,’ and I was like ‘Oh, I happen to have this funky robot picture,” Bowen told Vancity Buzz.

The piece was constructed using wheat pasted paper cutouts and paint, and is a modification of a piece Bowen had worked on previously, originally featuring a robot controlling a marionette, which is in turn controlling the larger robot with a remote.

“It’s kind of comment on like, [you think] you’re in control of your life, and you control all the small things around you, but often the small things control you,” he says. “Your possessions, and your job, and your relationships, even though you think you’re in control they’re exerting a lot of control on you.”

After altering the piece Bowen says he’s pretty happy with how things turned out.

“I’m really happy [with it]. Science World is a company I respect quite a bit, so I’m really glad Brian contacted me,” Bowen says.

The piece can be found in the lobby of the Telus World of Science, at 1455 Quebec Street in Vancouver.

Matt Bowen