Bowen’s Extinct Mastodon

In 2017 Guthrie Gloag created a sculpture of a life-size mastodon at a secret location in the woods. I had reason to believe it was somewhere on Bowen Island. One of the adventures I and my hiking friends had one day was a mid-country wilderness search and bushwhack using Google Earth to identify likely locations. Our reward was finding finding the magnificent mastodon.

Land Sculpture of a Mastodon by Guthrie Gloag

Today I read in the Bowen Island Undercurrent that the sculpture is gone. In an open letter to the Undercurrent, Gloag writes that earlier this week he disassembled the mastodon and removed it. He explains:

“Mourn” was a sculpture of an American mastodon, the first species that scientists recognized as having gone extinct. They are fundamental to our understanding of extinction. This art installation was a message of conservation. Let its loss be a reminder of the species that are in peril today, and an opportunity for reflection on how to protect our natural world.

“Mourn” was never meant to last forever; I’m happy that I made it and that people enjoyed it, but it was time. I am at peace with this decision and I hope the community can be too.

Keep on exploring: you never know what you might stumble upon.

– Guthrie Gloag

Guthrie Gloag’s website about the mastodon

Five years ago CBC interviewed Guthrie Gloag about his mastodon:

https://www.cbc.ca/i/caffeine/syndicate/?mediaId=948303427504

…and now I am curious about Gloag’s last comment, and what new wonders he may have left at other wilderness locations.