Trish Pegram looks at displays detailing sculptures the city might purchase for addition to its public art collection. Pegram and other interested residents attended a public open house at the Durango Public Library on Wednesday.
Mary Shinn/Durango Herald
“Frolic is a metal wind-activated kinetic sculpture that features a fish perched on a bicycle fork that allows it to both gyrate in weather vane mode and move up and down as if jumping the waves,” artist Patricia Vader said in a statement. This piece is 14 feet tall and priced at $8,000. Courtesy of the city of Durango
“The piece I am proposing is a dynamic sculpture of two 5-foot-long rainbow trout leaping and curling around a rocky pillar in their search for tasty morsels of food. ... Sited next to the Animas River, one of the last free-flowing fishing rivers in the state of Colorado, the relevance of my trout sculpture could not be more apparent. Appealing to everyone who passes it, the sculpture will heighten awareness of the need to preserve Durango’s watery treasure for generations to come,” said artist Peter Hazel in a statement. The piece is $8,000 and 7 feet tall. Courtesy of the city of Durango
“I love color and how it enhances my designs and the installation sites with bright and inspiring images that spark the imagination and engage visitors of all ages,” said artist Mary Ann Baker in a statement. The piece is $8,000 and 9 feet tall. Courtesy of the city of Durango
“Within my work, an emphasis is placed on the natural inherent qualities of material interacting formally to access human emotion and spirituality. To this end, transcending the physical nature of sculpture and imbuing the material with a greater overall presence or energy is paramount,” said artist Emme Culligan in a statement. The sculpture is $8,000 and 13.3 feet tall. Courtesy of the city of Durango
“My sculptures represent the energy found in totems and the interaction of the negative spaces created by the sculpture’s shapes. These represent moments in time. The colored spheres are depicting Father Sky, and the slightly patinated horizontals along with the columns represent Mother Earth. The horizontals also indicate the vastness of the land,” said artist Sandy Friedman in a statement. The piece is called “I’m dreaming with my brain awake.” It is 12 feet tall and costs $5,300. Courtesy of the city of Durango
“I use colors, kinetic motion, LED lighting in my works to give them a higher level of interaction with the viewers. I try to use bold colors in my works, after all, life is colorful, joyful and exhilarating. Why shouldn’t your art be,” said artist Chris Rench in a statement. The piece is $8,000 and 9 feet high. Courtesy of the city of Durango
“My work pendulates between the figurative and the abstract, modern and contemporary styles. I begin every design with a sketch or a digital model. Bringing that idea into space is an invigorating process. Each piece starts with a flat sheet of steel, which is hand cut, shaped and welded into sculptural forms,” said artist Hunter Brown in a statement. The piece is 10 feet tall and costs $8,000. Courtesy of the city of Durango
Sculptures that could come to the streets of Durango to stay drew strong reactions Wednesday at the Durango Public Library.
A steady stream of people attended an open house held to solicit comments from the public before the city purchases three of the seven sculptures now in the running for addition to the city’s public art collection.
The city has set aside $24,000 to buy the sculptures to install permanently. Two will be placed near the Animas River and another will be installed behind Ecosphere, on Eighth Street between East Second and East Third avenues.
The pieces vary widely, from a large stone pillar to a wind-powered piece called “Frolic,” which features a fish and some bicycle gears.
Residents voiced both disdain and appreciation as they cast their votes for their top three.
“Frolic” drew a diverse group of fans because of its color and dynamic design.
“People of all ages will spend time looking at it,” Wanda Prowell said.
To some, a sculpture featuring two large fish also seemed a good fit for display near the river.
“The fish look cool coming out of the stone and flying,” said Caleb Bates, a fourth-grader at Sunnyside Elementary.
Mary Bates and her son, Caleb, came to the library specifically to let the selection committee know how they felt.
“I think art selection is very difficult because it’s very subjective,” Mary Bates said.
Many residents missed out on the art selection process when the Arc of History, placed at the intersection of U.S. highways 550 and 160, was chosen, and they wanted to vote this time.
“I just think that is a glaring mistake,” Prowell said.
But while some were unhappy with the Arc, many want to see public art added.
“It differentiates your ordinary town from a culturally rich town,” said Kathy Myrick, a local photographer and executive director of the San Juan Symphony.
After the public weighs in, nine people will make a final decision later in April.
The selection committee includes three members from the city’s art commission, an arts professional, two members of the general public, a representative from Ecosphere and a member of the city’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. This same group narrowed the field from 117 pieces to seven.
To submit comments to the city about the pieces online, visit the city’s website.
