A Future Monolith Maps the Past

It looks like a relic left behind by some ancient civilization, so it’s no surprise that artist Pierre Poussin’s “Brick Obelisk” – set to be installed at Carlaw and Dundas next year – is rife with references to its site’s past. The Corten steel pyramid recalls the industrial smokestacks that once defined the area, while its colour evokes the former brickyards. And those hieroglyphic-like etchings laser cut into the 9.2-metre-high sculpture’s three sides? They’re actually maps depicting the surrounding neighbourhood as it has changed since the 1800s.