CANstruction is going to be coming to a close soon! There’s still time, today and tomorrow, to head over to the Cove Hotel (200 E Willow St, Long Beach, CA 90806), and check out the three amazing pieces this year’s teams designed and put together. Centered around the theme “Yes She CAN!” the sculptures were made to honor pioneering women of the past and future.

The first sculpture you’re greeted with is made in honor of Amelia Earhart. Her trailblazing contributions to the field of aviation still have massive impacts today. This sculpture recreates the plane she used to perform many of her feats, the Lockheed Vega. The piece reminds the viewer of the many records she broke during her career, and the massive advancement of women in aviation. Tragically lost over the pacific ocean, in her attempt to fly around the world, her career was cut short. Her tremendous achievements are remembered even today, honored in many ways by men and women who she inspired and who look up to her. This team used some unique tools to achieve the amazing final product. A combination of wire and custom circular attachments at the end of cans allowed them to put together long poles of cans, necessary for their final stunning sculpture. 

The second sculpture is a re-CANstruction of the Hearst Castle. The castle itself was designed by Julia Morgan, a Civil Engineering graduate of UC Berkeley. In 1919, she was commissioned by William Randolph Hearst to design what would come to be known as the Hearst Castle. This CANstruction pays homage to not only the amazing engineering and design she achieved, but also her long lasting influence and legacy. A women engineer and architect at the turn of the 20th century, who pioneered the way for women in Engineering and Architecture. 

The final sculpture you’ll come across looks towards the future. It envisions the first female astronaut on the moon. The sculpture relied on the use of different platforms that allowed the designers to create unique shapes, wider in the middle and narrower down at the bottom. We were told the astronaut herself was particularly difficult to build, needing precise measurements and careful balance. The final completion is a beautiful look into the future, what could be and what we can hope and strive for. 

These sculptures will be up through tomorrow at the Cove Hotel. Come down with cans of your own to vote on your favorite creation, and check back at the end of the week to find out if your favorite won. In benefit of food finders, the cans used for the pieces and the cans donated by patrons will all be collected by Food Finders and redistributed to our partner agencies after the 26th.