Artwork

Appearing above the southeast and southwest entrances of Gate 5 at the Rogers Centre is Lutz Haufschild’s Tribute to Baseball, a massive cast glass installation that celebrates exciting moments of the sport’s history. Uniformed players are etched into the glass, spilling over all nine panels above the doors. The active display hints at what visitors will see once they get closer to the pitch, building their excitement for the game that is about to start.

Born and raised in Germany, Lutz Haufschild was always drawn to working on a grand scale. Choosing art over architecture, Haufschild found his passion for sculpting and glass casting as he took on jobs producing stained-glass windows for private homes to pay his way through school. Haufschild immigrated to Canada in 1967 and has called the country home ever since. In 1979, he took on one of his first major commissions: a skylight measuring 380 feet long for the Coquitlam Centre Mall. Shortly after, he was selected for a stained-glass project with the Benedictine Monastery in Mission, BC that truly launched his career.

Haufschild cites travel as one of his biggest inspirations. During his studies, he travelled to France and encountered the work of Marc Chagall While working in Jerusalem, he discovered an affinity for Le Corbusier. From 1973-74, Haufschild travelled to 35 countries including Iran, Mexico, Indonesia, Greece, and Spain, with the trip generously funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.

Since then, Haufschild’s ability to harmoniously integrate art and architecture has matured, resulting in hundreds of commissions for public and private art in North America, Europe, Japan, and Taiwan. Considering light his true medium, he is captivated by how it can be shaped through architecture. The aesthetics of Haufschild’s works vary depending on what he feels the architecture needs. In some moments, his palette can be colourful and bold, while in others, it is simple, employing layers of clear beveled glass and prisms to create a sense of timeless elegance.

Haufschild’s impressive list of accolades includes recognitions such as the Saidye Bronfman Award in 1988 and his election to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1995. He has also lectured courses and taught workshops in universities and art schools around the world.