The University of Lethbridge will play a major part in shaping the look of the new Southern Alberta Art Gallery.

Denton Fredrickson, a U of L alumni and current faculty member in the Department of Art, along with Catherine Ross, a U of L art technician, have been awarded the Public Art commission for the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG). The piece they create will be an integral part of the new exterior for the SAAG.

Ross and Fredrickson propose to create a giant stringed instrument responsive to the day-to-day wind and light levels in Lethbridge. Visually, the installation reflects a flock of birds both at rest and in flight, appearing to move seamlessly from exterior to interior. The work is expected to be installed by fall 2011.

"It is exactly these kinds of awards and achievements that reflect so well on the creative and research work of the members of the Faculty of Fine Arts," says dean Desmond Rochfort. "It also helps to highlight the excellence of our creative activities and research endeavors, and underscores why the U of L Faculty Fine Arts is increasingly the place of choice in Alberta for those wishing to study fine arts."

Applications for the Public Art commission were received from around the world. The selection committee consisted of representatives from the Allied Arts Council and the SAAG, a community member, an artist and a technical expert.