A larger-than-life figure now towers over the sidewalk of Main Street in the Riley Park neighbourhood.
That's Liberty's Opinion, a piece of art by local sculptor Paul Chevreau. Created almost a decade ago, the nude woman is wearing a crown and holding a torch aloft, evoking the Statue of Liberty in New York.
However, instead of holding the American constitution, she's also pointing to her crotch, a reference to a well-known comment from now-President Donald Trump.
Inspired by Donald Trump
Chevreau says he was inspired to create the piece after learning about Trump in 2015.
"It became apparent to me quite quickly as to who he was," Chevreau tells V.I.A. "And this is an image that occurred to me, and it just wouldn't go away."
Trump may be an unusual source of inspiration, but Chevreau says he is curious about American identity and liberty, which is often portrayed as Lady Liberty.
"Liberty, freedom, is a precious, beautiful concept, and I really strove to bring that into the sculpture," says the artist.
In contrast with the icon of freedom is the plinth on which she stands is a caged child. The figure references when American authorities caged child migrants.
Chevreau notes the scale of Liberty's Opinion is purposeful as well, creating a grand, formidable presence. He estimates the piece is at least 10 feet tall, including the torch, and weighs some 1,400 lbs.
A mobile sculpture
While Liberty's Opinion has a new home at 5116 Main St, some people may have seen her elsewhere.
In 2020, when Vancouver's Trump Hotel still existed, Chevreau and some collaborators rolled the piece of art around town and parked her in front of the hotel.
She's also been on a sidewalk near Chevreau's home from which he was renovicted. She again popped into public view in the front yard of Chevreau's new place, but after a few months, he was told to move her to the backyard since there was a school nearby.
Recently, he was renovicted again and had to move her...again. In the process, the trailer lost a bearing, and Liberty's Opinion spent a couple of weeks on the Grandview Cut pathway before finally landing on Main Street.
While she was left on the path, Chevreau visited daily and spoke with locals about the piece.
"One of the neighbours, you know, she said it's very comforting to have her here, the collections of people [that gather], and the conversations that it spawns," he says.
While she's welcome to stay at the house on Main, Chevreau says he's open to putting her on display elsewhere.
"She's ready for an audience...she wants one," he says.
Liberty and Canada
Chevreau notes that there's a continued conversation to have about freedom still, especially in Canada.
"It's time for philosophizing. It's time for the consideration of what sovereignty and freedom mean," he says.
He relates the current Canadian-American situation to WWII, when the two countries stormed the beaches of Normandy together.
"We were both fighting fascists," he says. "Look at the inauguration with Zuckerberg, Bezos, Pichai and Musk. That's an iconic photo of where we're at, the monopolies of capitalism and authoritarian leader."
He says that's a central message he's hoping Liberty's Opinion carries.
"Freedom is precious. We need to defend her."
