Laiak
Laiak
- Creator: Ward Hooper
- Date: 2000
- Location: S Capitol Blvd & W Grove St
- Types: sculpture (visual work), signage
- Materials: steel (alloy), coating, stone (rock), concrete
- Collection: Site-Based Works
These two monuments serve as the “gateway” to the Basque Block on Grove Street between Capital and 6th Street. The works honor the Basque Community’s history in Boise and are dedicated on behalf of Pat and Eloise Bieter, two pillars of the Basque Community and to whom preservation of Basque culture was so central. These 16 foot tall sculptures consist of the traditional “Laiak,” which was employed as a tool for turning the soil in Spain. The laiaks are adorned with seven distinct ribbons, representing the seven provinces of the Basque country. Colored concrete is used to simulate soil at the foot of the laiak. Finally, a single oak leaf is used to symbolize the tree of Guernica.
