SEI is a remarkable sculpture that pushes the boundaries of design innovation. Made of highly-polished stainless steel and weighing 3,800 kg., SEI is a sculptural example of the hybrid art form Y Public Art is known for, Haida Manga. While the overall physical structure is reminiscent of North Pacific Indigenous Arts - in particular Haida Nation - the sculpture is pierced with modernist and contemporary influences.

The material of this 12-meter-long public artwork was carefully selected for its narrative implications. The reflective surface is an invitation to a dynamic visual experience with no end. Connected to its surroundings, the sky, buildings and crowds of people become a part of the piece, and allow the observer to see our common humanity and shared responsibility in the present. The highly-polished stainless steel blurs the edges between object and background, while the copper underbelly and the silver back of SEI raise notions of currency and value and speak to the surrounding commercial activity as the silver sky and earthly copper anchor the entire plaza.

Taking design and fabrication to a new level of flexibility and precision, SEI is a cutting-edge example of how to bring art to the public.

--MNY