Robert Vowles: multi-media sculpture

My earliest artistic impulses were satirical. Whether drawing unflattering cartoons of family members, building life size dummies or playing class clown, my creative sparks were baby thunder bolts. As I grew older I came to love surrealism. I appreciated the way surrealist images pulled the rug out from under the conventions I grew up with. I lost myself in the imaginary worlds created by artists like Hieronymous Bosch and Salvador Dali. However unlike these painters my artistic inspiration required that my artwork be in the world, in 3 dimensions. I determined to be a surrealist sculptor.

After graduating with an Honours BA in political science from "The University of Toronto," I utilized my artistic skills as a 3 dimensional illustrator for ad agencies. I continued producing fine art and dreamed of creating a themed gallery for my art and the work of other surreal sculptors. I hated displaying my sculptures in clinical gallery environments like some sort of lab specimens. I imagined displaying them in an environment that was not only compatible visually, but theatrically as well.

A venue that would empower the artwork and enhance it's meaning.

This dream exploded into a full fledged theme park proposal for the Toronto waterfront called Labyrinth. The comprehensive business plan, complete with financials and site plans, envisioned turning an abandoned power plant into a 250 million dollar theatre-theme park hybrid. This theme park would feature interactive live theatre integrated with simulator technology. After 7 years of enthusiastic participation by some of the world's great architects, theme park designers, financial advisors and government bureaucrats, the apathy of politicians and lack of vision by financial backers, put the project to a slow death.