The Bearded Ones

The Bearded Ones by Tom Benner is one of over 35 public artworks on display across the City of Mississauga.

Six grey forms of oxen stand in a circle facing outward on a circular cement pad.

Tom Benner, 1987. Fully restored in 2014
Cedar wood and steel
Southwest side of Living Arts Centre

About the artwork

The Bearded Ones is a circular installation of seven Musk-ox cedar wood and steel sculptures with the front of each Musk-ox facing outwards. Through the hand carving of the cedar wood and shaping of the aluminum horns, the artist imbues each Musk-ox with unique character. The Musk-ox is an animal seen by only a few and understood by even fewer. The artwork calls on viewers to appreciate that these “ancestral goats” are part of our heritage and should not be squandered but observed and reflected upon to further our education.

More information

This artwork is currently undergoing a conservation inspection.

The artwork was donated by Friends of the Library and fully restored by the artist and the City’s Public Art Program in 2014.

Photograph by Lane Dorsey.