The Tree of Life, now installed in the Reichwald Health Sciences Centre on UBC’s Okanagan campus.
Students in the Southern Medical Program will now be able to draw inspiration from a piece of art that speaks to the themes of nature, growth and reproduction.
The Tree of Life, by renowned Canadian artist Jack Shadbolt, was donated to the campus by Luigi Rossi, M.D. Class of 1981, and his family, of Smithers. It has been installed on the atrium wall of the Reichwald Health Sciences Centre on UBC’s Okanagan campus.
Originally created for the Cineplex Odeon Theatre on Granville Street in Vancouver in 1987, the massive, abstract, wooden relief construction was described by its creator as “art paraphrasing nature.”
“We are highly appreciative of Dr. Rossi and his family’s contribution to our campus,” says Allan Jones, Regional Associate Dean, Interior. “The Tree of Life has become a showpiece for us all to enjoy and feel inspired.”
Shadbolt, originally born in England, immigrated to Canada in 1912 and grew up in Victoria. From 1938 to 1966, he initially studied and then taught at the Vancouver School of Art. Shadbolt’s teaching career was briefly put on hold while he served as an official war artist in the Canadian Army during World War II.
His work is widely represented in private and public collections across North America, including major murals at the Vancouver International Airport, the Edmonton International Airport, the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, the former CBC building in Vancouver, and the MacMillan Bloedel building in Vancouver. Shadbolt received the Order of Canada (1972) and the Order of British Columbia (1990) in recognition of his contribution to Canadian art.