The District of Oak Bay has announced the people’s choice award winner of the annual Arts Alive outdoor sculpture contest.
The winning piece for 2025, as selected by the people, is The Kiss by David Hunwick.
The District says that the ninth annual Arts Alive program proved to be a vibrant year for sculptors.
Residents and visitors were able to explore, reflect on and vote for their favourite works from this year’s diverse collection in the open-air gallery located throughout Oak Bay.
The winning piece, The Kiss, received the highest number of public votes.
“In my sculpture ‘The Kiss,’ two fish are captured kissing, their forms tentatively connecting, suspended upon a metal ring that symbolizes the circle of life,” said Hunwick.
“This piece invites viewers to contemplate the interconnectedness of existence, the delicate balance of relationships, and the cyclical nature of love and life.”
The District noted that honourable mentions must go to two other sculptures which sparked significant admiration and conversation throughout the season.
Those pieces were Cosmos Wheels, by Doug Taylor, and Baba Yaga Little Free Library, by Erick James.
Cosmos Wheels is described as a dynamic, celestial-inspired piece that rotates with the slightest gust of wind in McNeill Bay.
Baba Yaga Little Free Library is a functional piece as well as an art installation as it is stocked full of books.
The Arts Alive program aims to strengthen Oak Bay’s identity as a hub for accessible, engaging public art.
The District says that planning is already underway for the 10th annual Arts Alive exhibition in 2026.
To find the full details about this program, to see the other featured sculptures and where to find them, visit Oak Bay’s Arts Alive webpage.
