Cape Spear, Newfoundland, 1983

Private Collection, Newfoundland

Essential to Blackwood’s practice is the indelible imprint of human history and narratives on the landscape of Newfoundland. As the easternmost point of North America, Cape Spear offers panoramic vistas for modern tourism, however its roots are heavily linked to military defence and marine security. For over 150 years, the Cantwell family operated the the lighthouse as a beacon of safety vital to mariners and was integral to Second World War military border defence. Seen from a high vantage point, the artwork invokes a sense of the sublime as the lighthouse sits perched at the edge of the cliffside, exposed to the elements. The clean geometric lines of the structure contrast with the organic and jagged cliff-side terrain, the structure acting as a metaphor for the resiliency of the community of Newfoundlanders in this remote area.