A controversial piece of public art known by many as the "car totem pole" will not be installed at the south end of the Granville Street Bridge as initially planned.
On Wednesday, July 29, the City of Vancouver announced it was "ceasing work on the reinstallation," of the artwork called "Trans Am Rapture."
The news comes about a month after the City said it was digging a hole and installing a concrete pad for the piece at the south end of the Granville Bridge, between West 4th and West 5th avenues.
A new home found to park car art
Previously known as "Trans Am Totem," the piece has been in storage since August of 2021 after it was removed from its original location near Science World.
In June 2025, the City confirmed to V.I.A. that a site being prepared in Fairview was meant for the huge piece of art. The re-erection of the art was planned for late July.
The "Trans Am Totem" was created by Marcus Bowcott and Helene Aspinall and installed on Quebec Street near Milross Avenue in 2015 as part of the Vancouver Biennale.
It features a stack of five cars (topped with a Trans Am) on top of a large section of an old-growth tree. It stands 33 feet tall and weighs 25,000 pounds.
"By stacking smashed automobiles and levitating them high above the roadway, Bowcott serves to remind us of the ultimate responsibilities we bear to our planet and future generations," states the Vancouver Biennale website.
"'Trans Am Totem' fantasizes a justified end to car culture even as countless automobiles zoom past on asphalt and concrete ribbons and ooze pollutants and spent carbon fuels into the atmosphere."
The original deal was for the art to be displayed for two years as part of the biennale, but it was granted a two-year extension.
However, in 2018, local billionaire Chip Wilson bought the piece and donated it to the city, and the cars and tree section remained on site until August of 2021, at which time it was taken apart by the city.
The City said the removal was so they could "properly restore this public art piece, which has incurred significant damage from birds."
Since then, it's remained out of sight while a new site was being identified.
In June, Bowcott told V.I.A. he was pleased with the new location.
"Helene and I feel relieved that it's being installed at long last. It took quite a while to agree with the city on a site, way longer than expected. Nevertheless we're very happy with the new location," he said in an email to V.I.A.
"Given our society's inaction and denial around climate change, global warming and the effects of our mechanized, technological culture — I feel the sculpture is more relevant than ever, sadly," stated Bowcott.
Park no spot for car art, say residents
However, a petition by local residents demanding the art's installation be stopped and raising issues about the lack of neighbourhood consultation was launched in June.
"Not only is it the wrong piece of art for this location, it becomes toxic from birds nesting and dropping guano all over the place," reads the petition in part.
At the time of publication, it has 257 signatures on Change.org.
The City does not mention the petition or negative feedback about the Granville Bridge site. Instead it cites a proportional discrepancy.
"The decision was made by the City Manager’s Office following further consideration of the size and scale of the artwork in relation to the site.
They add that "the existing concrete pad at the site will be repurposed to support a future, smaller-scale public art installation."
Previously discussed sites will be revisited as options for the art.
This article was originally published on June 23 and has been updated with new information.
