One of the most iconic works of art in Burnaby is in bad shape.
For 35 years, Kamui Mintara (Playground of the Gods), by Ainu sculptor Nuburi Toko and his son Shusei, has stood on Burnaby Mountain as a testament to the “goodwill” between Burnaby and its sister city Kushiro, Japan.
But now the installation’s 29 hand-carved bare wood poles are deteriorating and could be facing fungal rot, according to reports to city council Feb. 4.
Conservators have done maintenance on the piece since 2004 but are now reporting the levels of deterioration have increased to the point where regular maintenance is “no longer effective,” according to Emmaline Hill, the city’s director of culture.
The conservator recommended further assessments and maintenance interventions “be undertaken with some urgency,” Hill said.
Kamui Mintara, completed in 1990, represents the Indigenous Ainu culture of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, home to Kushiro. The work is one of only a few large-scale examples of Ainu sculpture in the world.
Staff called it a “significant artwork for Burnaby and a piece of cultural heritage with broad resonance locally and abroad.”
But the sculpture is vulnerable to weather, water penetration, and insects, and it has faced a variety of challenges over the years.
In 2007, the Whole Ocean section of the piece “totally collapsed in a windstorm,” according to the conservator’s report, as the result of “active fungal rot” at the base of the vertical beams.
Replica pieces were eventually rebuilt by city staff with machine tools and new engineered products under the guidance of the conservator, according to Hill.
Another pole deteriorated to the point where it was removed and placed into storage in 2021. That pole had been in an area where the ground level was “completely infiltrated” with fungal rot.
The conservator noted concerns that possible ground water retention in the area would contribute to the growth of fungal rot.
Staff said some of the issues may signal the piece is “nearing end of life.”
Planned assessments will help staff better understand whether the piece should be renewed, replaced or decommissioned.
Mayor Mike Hurley said he wasn’t optimistic about the future of Kamui Mintara.
“Unfortunately, I’m not expecting a very good outcome from being up there. So, looking forward to hearing options of what we can do,” Hurley said.
Staff plan to start work beginning in May to slow down the deterioration and structural concerns that could “pose immediate risk to the piece or members of the public.”
The work will require scaffolding and restricted access to the site, according to the report.
The initial assessments will cost about $50,000 to $80,000, according to Hill, and when there’s a clearer picture of the sculpture’s condition, staff will provide longer-term options and costs.
The city also plans to hold community engagement, particularly with both Ainu advisors and local host Nations to make sure the work is done in a culturally appropriate way.
