Brian Jungen: Couch Monster

Everyday objects transformed into an extraordinary elephant sculpture

Over the past two decades, British Columbia–based Indigenous artist Brian Jungen (born 1970) has become internationally recognized for his imaginative body of sculpture using repurposed material. This book takes a deep dive into his process and influences in the creation of a monumental elephant sculpture made out of couches—the first-ever public art commission at the Art Gallery of Ontario.
Generously illustrated, the book offers a significant visual record from early sketches and ideas through to production, transportation and installation. It details Jungen’s deep material explorations which highlight a long history of inequality, a concern for the environment and a profound commitment to Indigenous ways of knowing and making. A timeline from Henry Moore's public sculpture The Archer to Couch Monster sets Jungen’s career in context, and an interview between AGO Chief Curator Julian Cox and Jungen looks at the development of the project.