Robert H. Savery

1902-1980
Artist, landscape architect, public servant

Notes and References

Satirical cartoon by Sid Barron

A cartoon by Sid Barron satirizing the furore among the avante garde artists' community over the proposed design for the Victoria centennial fountain. The cartoon was printed on the 'op-ed' page of the Victoria Daily Times on Saturday, 10 June 1961.

The caption reads: "...What d'you mean, 'Why don't I work in a couple of seagulls?'....This IS a seagull...Can't you feel the tug of wings...the implied flight...the unfettered ascent from primeval earth curve..."

An abstract design of a fountain is pinned to the wall of the artist's studio in this very droll cartoon.

Source: Victoria Daily Times (10 June 1961), p.4.

The cartoon was inspired by a controversy that was reported in local and national newspapers:

“Artists Cry Out Against Fountain/ ‘Shocked’ Colony Up in Arms over ‘Absolutely Dreadful’ B.C. Gift to City,” Victoria Daily Colonist (8 June 1961), Second News Section, p. 17.

“Artistic Infighter Battles Fountain/Facsimile, Not Design Says UBC Professor," Victoria Daily Colonist (10 June 1961), p. 13.

“Fountain Furore International/Pacific Northwest Group Also Unhappy,” Victoria Daily Times (10 June 1961), p. 19.

"Fountain Fury Flows," Montreal Gazette (20 June 1961), p. 6J.