Vancouver’s Crab Sculpture Arrives at Museum

Why this is here: The Crab sculpture weighs 1,360 kilograms and required skilled welding by Gus Lidberg, who considered it the best sculpture ever created in Vancouver.

In Vancouver, Canada, sculptor George Norris’s stainless steel crab sculpture was delivered to the Vancouver Centennial Museum on May 16, 1967. The 6.7-meter sculpture, intended to represent a First Nations legend of a harbour guardian, arrived by barge after being constructed from welded pieces at Ellett Copper and Brass. Ryan Hunt, CEO of the Museum of Vancouver, notes the sculpture is iconic, even for those unfamiliar with the museum itself.

Norris envisioned the sculpture as a dynamic fountain, capable of changing with the weather or special events. He wanted the water jets to offer “moods,” similar to the sea, and allow for varied displays. The $20,000 artwork was funded by the women’s subcommittee of the Vancouver Centennial Committee, though a six-man jury selected the design.

Despite creating several public works, Norris did not achieve widespread renown. One of his other sculptures, installed in downtown Vancouver in 1974, was partially destroyed by a city worker in 1996. He passed away in 2013, with friends noting his talent went largely unappreciated, and work on the Crab continues to delight visitors.