Peter Camani

Peter Camani grew up in Hamilton, Ontario, and took interest in art at an early age. He attended the University of Waterloo in Sciences, but in his third year transferred from sciences to the arts. After graduating with a B.A., he went to Western University, later becoming an art teacher at Almaguin Highlands Secondary School in South River, Ontario.[2] Camani began working on his property-wide art project around 1981. Retiring from teaching in 1989, he has continued his creative endeavors, the collection of art on his property ever expanding.

Peter Camani's Midlothian Castle, commonly known as Screaming Heads, is a public art installation featuring numerous sculptures, artworks and structures. The monolithic, 20 foot high concrete sculptures range from Munch-like screaming faces to hands, horses, and memorials.

Camani's home is a farm house converted into a castle,[3] topped with a turret resembling a screaming face and a two headed dragon sitting atop the chimney. Facing the road is a wall topped with busts of people reenacting the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" proverb, while facing the parking lot is a towering metal gate that resembles a spider web.

The property also features several large steel frame structures, erected by organizers of the annual Harvest Festival that takes place on the grounds.[4] When covered with fabric, these structures become performance and eating venues, resembling a crashed spaceship, pyramids and domes.

Camani is responsible for planting many of the trees on his property, which was once barren farmland, as well as propagating spring fed ponds. The large concrete structures are arranged in such a way that they form the shape of a dragon when viewed from the air, although trees now obscure some of the statues. Camani has explained that his sculptures stand as a warning against environmental degradation, resembling "the earth rebelling against what we’re doing to the land."[5]

Of the public's perception of his work, Camani has commented via his website;

The artist is aware of comment. His response takes shape in the four "No Evils" atop the walls, a message to those who would dismiss without comprehending. The transitory nature of comment is unable to withstand the permanence of the creations, the castings which will stand for centuries, perhaps giving pause to archaeologists or other visitors in subsequent millennia.[6]

A small screaming head statue can also be found outside the Burk's Falls Welcome Centre.

Camani has recently been working on a film of his own devising. With Dallas Boyes as the director, Camani began filming in 2005 and has been continuing with production since. He employs several students from nearby Almaguin Highlands Secondary School to help with acting, props, backdrops, music and taping. There has been no set release date for Camani's film.

A film entitled Witch Way? was filmed in Screaming Heads. The film was never released.

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  Some of the Screaming Head statues incorporate hands, while isolated hand statues can also be found on the property.
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  Horse statues found among the Screaming Heads

• Artists's website