John F. Ceprano ECOLOGICAL INSTALLATIONS

Since 1986 artist John Felice Ceprano has walked to the riverbank in Remic Rapids, Ottawa to select natural, unaltered limestone and granite available upon site to construct his ecological sculptures:

"The sculptures are always built in the water and that is why I may say, it is a seasonal affair. The warmer weather being the definite element. My relationship to the work is based upon what is naturally provided, allowing the work to fit into nature's space, appearing to have been there forever.
Limestone of 400 million years old-at the edge of the precambrian shield, the oldest of the world, can be found at the site. These rocks are richly fossilized and contain large deposits of quartz. The material is free and abundant. The shapes of the rocks are exclusively created by nature, proving adequate variety in all respects of form, shape, color and texture.
I work alone and without the use of any equipment to move or assemble the sculptures. Some structures take less than a few hours to complete while other may take up to a week. The size of the work ranges from the 2-3 foot smaller works to complete assemblages which have expanded to 12 feet in height and more than 100 feet in diameter. The sculptures are getting bigger and bigger and I'm using what is indigenous to the location, sometimes importing stones from the nearest quarry. I am not getting younger and for the larger installations I may require assistants or equipment, though this has not yet been the case" John F. Ceprano

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