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Description:
Four ethnically and gender-diverse figures sit atop steel polesS
and work together to provide shade and shelter by stretching a high
tension, structural canopy over a semi circular seating area. The
canopy is lit at night creating a dynamic, illuminated nighttime
presence. The bench and concrete floor of the seating area
incorporate handmade ceramic tiles that relate conceptually to unity
and diversity. The design process included the collaboration of
Marcos de Niza High School students. It is a visual and verbal
narrative that captures the positive expressions and identities of
this particular group of young Tempe residents, as well as providing
a functional, durable shade oasis for those in transit.
Funding:
The project was funded through city of Tempe Capital Improvement
Project Percent for Art funds made available through the Tempe
Transit Tax.
Artist biography:
John Nelson lives and works in Tempe, and received his Master of
Fine Arts from Arizona State University. As and illustrator, painter
and sculptor John has seen his mixed media illustrations appear
frequently in publications like The New York Times and
Rolling Stone. His paintings and sculptures have been featured
in numerous solo and group shows including Gallery Materia in
Scottsdale, the Carter Center at Emory University and the Tamarind
Institute in Albuquerque, N.M. In addition, his work is collected by
both public and corporate entities, including Intel and the Perrier
Corporation. He has completed commissions for the National Endowment
for the Arts, the United States Postal Service and Phoenix Sky
Harbor International Airport.
Artist statement:
This project has been especially interesting and challenging for me
as I have had the opportunity to collaborate with some very talented
student artists and art faculty at Marcos de Niza High School. After
discussing many and varied ideas with the administration and
faculty, we chose three areas of emphasis:
· Conceptually, we decided on “Unity” as the theme for our project.
Specifically, “If Unity were a puzzle what piece would I be?”
· For our design approach, our slogan was, “Think outside the box.”
Throw out all preconceptions of transit shelter design.
· Create a design that stands as a symbol of solidarity and creativity
for the students of Marcos de Niza and also create a unique identity
for the surrounding neighborhood. |
