International artist Christian Moeller will create two pieces of public art in and around Calgary’s New Central Library, a $245 million fully-funded civic amenity in the re-emerging neighbourhood of East Village. Moeller was selected for the $2 million commission after a multi-stage selection process that started with 239 proposals from all over the world.

Now in the finishing stages of construction, under budget and on schedule, the New Central Library’s dramatic and dynamic architecture and design will be enhanced by Moeller’s installations, which will include an exterior three-piece sculpture and an interior “book wall” that employs nearly 11,000 books whose spines, in 12 different colours, create the image of a fish.

The exterior three-piece sculpture named Trio will be installed on the library’s east and west outdoor plaza spaces. Each piece measure nine to 10 metres tall and moves like a pendulum to create a visual choreography.

The book wall named Fish is approximately three metres (10 feet) tall by 14 m (45 ft) wide. It will be located on the third floor of the library.

“Christian’s art reflects the innovative nature of this project and compliments our vision to create an inspiring place,” says Bill Ptacek, CEO, Calgary Public Library. “Beyond their intrinsic artistic merit, his works will reinforce the identity of the New Central Library experience by bringing an enchanting and whimsical experience that will captivate the imagination of children and visitors of all ages”.

Moeller is a professor in the department of Design Media Arts at UCLA and operates a studio in Los Angeles. He studied art and architecture in Frankfurt, Germany, and in Vienna, Austria, before moving to the United States in 2001.

Installation of Moeller’s works will begin in August 2018. The new Central Library is set to open to the public on November 1.