Client: Salt Lake City Arts Council

Overview

The life-size sculpture of a breaching humpback whale in a prominent roundabout intersection is the product of an almost two-year-long public art process. This artwork, created by Stephen Kesler from recycled foam and molded fiberglass around a steel frame, represents the “unexpected” nature and characteristics of Salt Lake City’s 9th and 9th neighborhood and its diverse residents and visitors. Kesler describes 9th and 9th as “unexpected and out of the blue. A community where people from all backgrounds, beliefs, and ideas migrate and feel a sense of belonging. A community that bursts through expectations; that commands respect for nature, and varied ideas and identities.” “Out of the Blue” reflects the community’s dynamism by hosting a rotating mural that changes every 3-5 years, allowing the artwork to be transformed and re-interpreted over time. Mike Murdock’s “Point of Reference”, “Out of the Blue’s” inaugural mural, is an abstract interpretation of the changing and awe-inspiring sunrises and sunsets experienced from the rising hills in the neighborhood. Like the unexpected nature of “Out of the Blue”, Murdock who for over a decade worked at a coffee shop across the street, described this commission as the “universe dropping a huge whale out of the sky and into my lap.”

Goals

The 9th and 9th neighborhood is home to both new and iconic businesses, restaurants, schools, and a wide array of residents and passerby. The 9th South Roundabout public art project goal was to commission a site-specific artwork that responds to the character and sense of transformation in the area while serving as a welcoming entrance to the 9th South corridor. As a large work in a traffic roundabout, the piece needed to engage from 360 degrees while complying with transportation safety regulations and a bevy of local ordinances.

Process

Led by the Salt Lake City Arts Council's Public Art Program, the project fostered close collaboration with key partners including the East Liberty Park Community Organization, SLC Transportation, SLC Engineering, and the Salt Lake Art Design Board. Prior to issuing a call for artists, the Public Art Program engaged with neighborhood residents extensively through various engagement efforts, including a survey whose results were provided to the finalists during the proposal development process.

The process involved meticulous coordination between the sculpture artist Stephen Kesler and his fabrication team to realize the sculpture's vision. Simultaneously, muralist Mike Murdock was seamlessly integrated into the final stages, adding depth and vibrancy to the project. Notably, “Out of the Blue” garnered an extraordinary following prior to its installation, testament to its community impact and anticipation.

To celebrate the culmination of this collaborative effort, the Public Art Program orchestrated a light-hearted and engaging marketing campaign, inviting the community to participate in the artwork's unveiling. This highly attended ribbon-cutting ceremony; reflected the project's successful integration into the fabric of Salt Lake City's cultural landscape.

Additional Information

Since its installation in April 2022, "Out of the Blue" has been embraced by Salt Lake City residents in unexpected ways. Community members have created additional whale-inspired artworks, inked depictions of the whale on their bodies as tattoos, and created guerilla installations of whale-watching gnomes in the area. The local running community has started a Whaleathon, a marathon-length course that circumnavigates the roundabout 630 times; around 50 runners have recorded their accomplishments at whalathon.com. The work has become an “internet cult icon” (according to local broadcaster ABC4) with record snowfall in 2023 attributed to the sculpture’s presence — “All hail the whale!” As the iconic public art piece in Salt Lake City, "Out of the Blue / Point of Reference" has brought more community attention to public art as a placemaking, conversation-starting staple of life in the capital city. It has inspired Salt Lake City’s Mayor Mendenhall to add iconic public artworks to her annual priorities, allocating funding to make these public artworks a reality. The project was made possible with support from the Salt Lake Art Design Board, Salt Lake City’s Engineering and Transportation Divisions, and input from the East Liberty Park Community Organization.