Magic and Lethal

The BC Labour Heritage Centre’s Asbestos Memorial is the first public memorial in North America that honours the thousands of victims who have died or been impacted by asbestos exposure.

Located on the northwest corner of the waterfront path of the Vancouver Convention Centre, the seven-metre-tall sculpture, titled “Magic and Lethal”, faces the Burrard Inlet, where asbestos was loaded into export ships for decades.

The memorial was designed by celebrated Vancouver artist Doug Taylor in the style of a mobile, with wheels that spin with the wind to create a mesmerizing visual.

“Activated by the wind, the weathervane responds to the slightest change in direction from the breeze”, said Doug Taylor. “The spokes and wheels resemble the needle-like fibres and molecules of asbestos. Together the entire metalwork evokes a visual connection to the lungs and bronchial airways of the human body.”

An interpretive plaque featuring a poem by Canadian writer and Order of Canada recipient, John MacLachlan Gray, titled Magic and Lethal, complements the sculpture. 

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral commonly used in building materials before the 1990s. Its resistance to heat, electricity and corrosion made it attractive for construction, especially as an effective insulator. However, when asbestos is disturbed, its fibres become airborne and can cause serious health concerns if inhaled or ingested. In Canada, asbestos mining ceased in 2011, and asbestos-containing materials were banned in 2018.