War, huh, yeah!What is it good for?Absolutely nothing other than creating an awesome Big, uhh! War, ebony heartthrob Edwin Starr once sang, should be despised as it means the destruction of innocent lives. But war was also the inspiration for these remarkable Toy Soldiers, so I guess it’s not all bad. Officially known as Monument to the War of 1812, these sexy servicemen have turned … Continue reading Monument to the War of 1812, Toronto, ON
They’re a weird mob, these immigrants. With their moon-shaped heads, olive skin and bizarre clothing, they just don’t look like us. And, of course, they’ve already had a baby! And the father’s wearing a tie, so he’s probably after jobs that the rest of us would never consider doing in the first place. Soon there’ll be so many immigrants that you won’t be able to … Continue reading Immigrant Family, Toronto, Ontario
“Everybody Wants Big Things” by The Sit Remedy Everybody wants to eat somethingFrom the Giant Table’s topEverybody wants somethingThey’ll try to climb itBut never get up Everybody get readyWith sandwiches and beerThe Harbour Square sensation,The only and onlyGiant Picnic Table’s here Everybody face up toThe facts as they areYou have to seat itTo believe it ‘cos it’sThe size of a car! A word on Colin … Continue reading The Giant Picnic Table, Toronto, Ontario
Sew, you want to visit Toronto’s most fashionable tourist attraction? Then it’s thimble – oops, I mean simple! Pop over to the corner of Richmond and Spadina, where you’ll find Uniform Measure/STACK, a three-metre-tall Big Thimble that seams too good to be true. Needles to say, you’ll have a great time! This zany bunch of buttons and bits and bobs was patched together by the … Continue reading Uniform Measure/STACK, Toronto, Ontario
Sixty-seven million years ago, when rivers ran red with molten magma, the towering tyrannosaurus traipsed across the bleeding badlands we now call Canada. Standing six-metres tall and with a head full of lancinating ivories, this terrifying thunder lizard tore all before her to shreds. Well, it’s 2022, and the tyrannosaurus has evolved. Now seven-storeys tall and capable of gobbling dozens of bemused tourists at once, … Continue reading World’s Largest Dinosaur, Drumheller, AB
Hey you! Yeah, you, reading this! You belong in the nuthouse! Tee-hee, don’t worry, the inimitable Bigs Bardot hasn’t gone mad and resorted to cyber bullying. I’m merely suggesting that you visit the Nuthouse food emporium in Toronto’s eclectic West End. There you’ll find a wondrous walnut large enough to feed a family of chipmunks for a year. Wally, as he’s known to the ragtag … Continue reading Wally the Walnut, Toronto, Ontario
If you ever see a bunch of naked weirdos frolicking in a park, run the other way – unless you’re in downtown Calgary! There you’ll find 10 very large, very nude individuals of indeterminate gender, enjoying the Alberta sun upon their ebony skin. Known as The Brotherhood of Mankind, the 6.5-metre-tall naturists were created by Spanish artist Mario Armengol, as part of the British Pavilion … Continue reading The Brotherhood of Mankind, Calgary, AB
Listen up, pardner. If you’re planning to pinch a caravan from Airdrie, north of Calgary, think again. Western Wayne, a 30-foot cowboy with a huge hat and a mean disposition, guards the Western RV caravan shop… and this Big shoots first and asks questions later! Wearing a tough-guy snarl reminiscent of a young Sam Elliott, Wayne’s towered over Alberta’s desolate prairies for decades. He’s impossible … Continue reading Western Wayne, Airdrie, Alberta
Canada’s Big Things just get curiouser and curiouser! Wonderland is a real head-turner, standing necks to the remarkable Bow building in downtown Calgary. It was unveiled in 2012 by Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa – an artist who openly admits to having a big head. The cheeky bent-wire masterpiece is an incr-head-able 12 metres tall, with two openings for ear-ger visitors to walk through. Wonderland seems … Continue reading Wonderland, Calgary, Alberta
The time is ripe to visit Abbotsford, the Raspberry Capital of Canada! There you’ll find a quintet of ravishing, robust, rubenesque Raspberries red-dy to roll into your heart. The Giant Raspberries were created by local artist Manjit Sandhu and sprouted out of the verdant British Columbian soil in late 2011. They decorate a roundabout a few minutes west of town where, not surprisingly, there’s been … Continue reading The Giant Raspberries, Abbotsford, BC
What’s better than a half-naked contemporary Chinese artist with a great sense of humour and abs to die for? How about 14 half-naked contemporary Chinese artists with great senses of humour and abs to die for! A-maze-ing Laughter was created by bonkers Beijing-based artiste Yue Minjin, a chap so pleased with his own appearance that he created over a dozen clones and dropped them off … Continue reading A-maze-ing Laughter, Vancouver, BC
There’s a killer on the loose at the Vancouver waterfront, but nobody’s blubbering about it! Looking like he’s jumped out of a 1980s video game and into your heart, Digital Orca was created by the dashing Douglas Coupland and made a splash when fin-stalled in 2009. Flanked by the pristine waters of Vancouver Harbour and framed by the majestic North Shore Mountains, there are few … Continue reading Digital Orca, Vancouver, BC
This is not a drill! Please drop everything and make your way to the PetSmart store in north-eastern Vancouver. I repeat this is not a drill! What you’ll find when you reach the designated assembly point is a drill, however – The Big Drill Bit! Don’t ask me why a pet shop has a gargantuan gimlet out the front. The Canadians are a quirky bunch … Continue reading The Big Drill Bit, Vancouver, BC
Whilst the days of horned warriors raping and pillaging their way through the suburbs of Vancouver are largely behind us, one nordic bad boy still strikes terror into the hearts of those who oppose him. Thankfully The Viking, who guards the entrance to the prestigious Burnaby North Secondary School, saves his rage for any child foolish enough to compete against the local football team. It’s … Continue reading The Viking, Burnaby, British Columbia
Ah, Canadians, they’re so nice, eh! Just look at the charming grin and snappy tunic on the World’s Tallest Tin Soldier, who is about as far from an unbridled killing machine as you can get. Couldn’t you just pinch those chubby cheeks! Standing chin up, chest out, shoulders back, stomach in and 9.75 metres tall, this tin-credible specimen wears size 60 E27 boots and weighs … Continue reading The World’s Tallest Tin Soldier, New Westminster, BC
