Sphere of Influence
Artist: Carl Schlichting
Created: 2015
Medium: Repurposed Bicycle Parts Sculpture
1960b Columbia Ave, Rossland, BC
Sphere of Influence rolled into the empty lot between Columbia Avenue and Sourdough Alley in spring of 2015, just as the snow was melting and the bike season was heating up. The large, airy bubble of repurposed bicycle parts has been demanding attention ever since.
So much attention, in fact, that the sign— “Art is for admiring, mountains are for climbing”—had to be erected in front of the statue to discourage people from getting too close. Originally part of a one-year lease by the Rossland Council for Arts and Culture (RCAC), Sphere of Influence has become a permanent symbol of the town’s bike culture.
Created by Carl Schlichting, Sphere of Influence stands as tall as the buildings that house local businesses on either side of it. The twelve-foot sphere was created from old bike wheels, spokes, and gears welded together.
“Influence your sphere! is what I’m thinking here,” said Schlichting, “regardless of how big or small it might be, or what the issue is. There is power in speaking out, in standing by your convictions and beliefs.”
Schlichting, who grew up on the Prairies, resides In the Slocan Valley. He spent most of his career working in museums and galleries where he developed an expertise in designing and building exhibit mounts.
Sphere of Influence stands on a small hemisphere cage bolted to a cement platform. The steel has rusted over time, adding extra cohesiveness to the joining of wheels.
“Finding my own voice continues to be a journey with an unknown horizon,” said Schlichting. “For me, it’s all about passion. I work from my heart, recreating discarded material in different forms.”
Sphere of Influence is both bold and grand as it tempts viewers toward further exploration. Much like Rossland itself.