Client: Arts and Science Council--Charlotte-Mecklenberg

Overview

For meaningful placemaking, the artist created two types of sculptures for a neighborhood in Charlotte that is divided by a highway. The anchor artwork has robust granite figures that lean against each other in a symbol of interdependence–the figures could not stand without cooperating. The life-size figures are different colors but the difference is undefined–it could be anything. They are rounded and cartoon-like to use humor and mystery to reflect on a universal predicament of people being interdependent despite differences. The figures are the focus of a pedestrian plaza and mark a regional trailhead with a memorable, iconic stop. The granite provides a traditional civic feel despite a contemporary, challenging theme.

The second artwork breaks up a long pedestrian trek on frontage roads with eight colorful “Cornerstones.” The eight-foot-high structures resemble the corner of a house with colorful abstract shapes inside that represent the emotional ambiance that people keep in their homes. Powder-coated color combinations on the aluminum shapes make each house distinct and pose a moment of reflection on an unusual topic. Laser-cut screens with historical motif “wallpaper” and grey granite masonry give the contemporary house monuments a sense of past.

Goals

The goal of the City of Charlotte was to remediate a situation where a highway with long frontage roads acts as a barrier for pedestrians to consider crossing over to use retail services on the other side, physically dividing the community. Art was only one component of a comprehensive new streetscape designed to all work together. The artist aimed to make art that had a likable gravitas to make the place feel valuable, enjoyable and special. The head of the community association thanked the Arts and Science Council in person for the sculpture integration.

Process

For complete design integration, the art was developed at the same time as the streetscape. The artist attended the same community open houses as the transportation planners during the planning stage. The planning firm Woolpert and City of Charlotte engineering staff designed special bump-outs in the walkway to highlight the art and provided concrete pads coordinated with the artist's designs. Arts and Science staff assisted greatly in coordination of drawings during an unusually long five-year planning process.