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Description:
Luminaria is a distinctive
gateway marker distinguishing this intersection from other
neighborhood entrances along Mill Avenue. The 17.5 feet high
perforated metal sculpture is lit from within and semi-transparent,
creating a lighted entranceway at night. The sculpture echoes the
shape of the feather and the shape of the leaf, two of the elements
which contribute to the special quality of a neighborhood
characterized by old tree growth that provides a haven to numerous
species of birds. As the Arizona light shifts in the sky, filtering
through the semi-transparent sculpture, moiré patterns are created
on the sculpture’s surface, giving it a sense of motion. At night,
the sculpture is illuminated from within, and the "featherleaf"
shape softly glows. The sculptural marker is supported by a stone
base, further emphasizing the importance of the natural environment
of this streetscape to the daily lives of its residents.
Funding:
This project was funded through city of Tempe Capital Improvement
Project Percent for Art funds.
Artist biography:
Barbara Grygutis collaborates to create public spaces that
enhance community identity, enable civic interaction and reveal
unspoken relationships. Grygutis has more than 25 years of
experience creating environmental works of art that give meaning and
identity to public spaces. Grygutis was born in Philadelphia, raised
in Israel, attended the University of Arizona and studied ceramics
in Japan. She has completed more than 60 major public art
commissions throughout the United States and Canada since the 1980s,
and is currently working on public art projects in Las Vegas, Los
Angeles, Phoenix, Connecticut, Boston and Calgary, Canada.
Artist statement:
“My response to the
qualities of the natural environment of the site, for which a work
of art is intended, is a key dynamic of my work. I create places of
reflection, where the beauty of the natural world can be seen in the
built environment, where among
the sculptural elements, the viewer can experience the interplay
between art and nature.
Through my work as an artist I create public spaces that enhance the
built environment, enable civic interaction, and reveal unspoken
relationships. By identification of Meaningful themes and creation
of works relevant to specific locations and communities, I create
distinctive places of interest for the public." |
