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Montreal artist Domenico Antonio Di Guglielmo is exploring the Canadian identity through his new sculpture called “Canuck”.

One of six artists currently taking part in the month-long Bergen Rocks International Sculpture Symposium, Guglielmo explained that through his work he is “trying to define my nationality as a Canadian” in his grey marble sculpture.

“I’m dealing with Canadian identity,” he said. “What do we as Canadians think of ourselves, of our identity?”

The other artists in this year’s month-long symposium are Saeid Ahmadi from Iran, Peerpong Doungkaew from Thailand, Tanja Roeder from Germany, and Mohamad Resa Yazdi from Iran.

The artists’ sculptures will eventually be displayed on the Burke property, standing side by side with the sculptures created in 2008 and 2009.

He explained that the “imagery in the sculpture is that of a Native Canadian trapped between free flowing shapes of nature and the straight edges of rural dwellings.”

“Our history teaches us that the Native Canadian along with the world immigrant and the powerful English and French ancestors have shaped the vast country we live in. Today we have a liberalized immigration policy, a policy for multiculturalism, a commitment to bilingualism, a strong social security policy, the Canadian Bill of Rights, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, a commitment to peacekeeping and a dedication to promote Canadian culture.

“What exactly is it that makes a Canadian unique in a North American context?”

Guglielmo says his ‘Canuck’ includes negative space, positive space, and various lines.

“To me each line has to flow, like music,” he said.

Taking part in his first Bergen Rocks, Guglielmo says he is certainly enjoying the chance to get to know his fellow artists and share experiences.

“Each artist is unique because of their experiences, interpreting their experiences in a slightly different way. The images are all different because they are affected by culture. The artist’s experience plays a role in the art.”