Vancouver outdoor sculptures on auction block

Sculptures familiar to people who stroll Vancouver's waterfront go up for auction Thursday night.

The 22 large outdoor sculptures have been exhibited in public locations throughout Vancouver as part of the Vancouver Sculpture Biennale.

The biennale, a first for Vancouver, brought the work of international sculptors to the city for 18 months beginning in 2005.

Among the pieces are the upside-down church called Device to Root Out All Evil, by New York sculptor Dennis Oppenheim, which sits beside Coal Harbour, and the sculpture called Realm of Passion by Vietnam's Khang Pham-New, which has been at Kitsilano Beach.

Many have become favourites in their neighbourhoods, but as part of the biennale plan, they go up for auction Thursday, with internationally renowned Christie's Auction House jetting into Vancouver to handle the bidding.

Barrie Mowatt, executive director of thebiennale, said he would like to see Vancouver bidders step up to bid on some of the sculptures.

"I'd like to see the developers and people who've been talking about putting a consortium together surprise us and say 'Ahah! We've done it,' and come up with the money," he said.

The most talked aboutsculpture is the bright red steel piece called Jaguar, by American artist John Henry,that is now at the entrance to Stanley Park, Mowatt said.

Yoko Ono's Imagine Peace signand Dogfish Woman, Bear Mother by the late Haida artist Bill Reid were included in the exhibit.

Vancouver generally "isn't on the map" when it comes to international art sales, Mowatt said.

But Christie's has flown in representatives from New York, Toronto and Los Angeles for the auction, which is to raise funds for public art and future biennales.

"The challenge will be whether Vancouverites will step up to the plate, or whether there'll be enough international activity to make it successful enough to say 'Hey, we like this and we're going to stay with it,'" Mowatt said.

The sculptures range in price from about $40,000 for smaller pieces to more than $2 million.

Mowatt said he'll announce on Friday whether any of the art will stay in Vancouver's public space.