Artists, Students and Community collaborate to create the Drinking Fountain Sculpture and Plaza
Friday, July 2, 2010
Bench is poured Thursday June 24, 2010
Lamere Concrete of NE Minneapolis - technicians finishing the concrete bench.
Stevie and Amanda visited the Lake Street site for the pour of the Mississippi Molecule bench--Stevie set his bronze molecule into the concrete! Here's Stevie showing off some climbing skills.
CLICK ON PHOTO to go to City of Minneapolis info page
Sculpture Fountain
Gita Ghei, Sara Hanson and JanLouise Kusske are co-creating a drinking fountain sculpture that will be placed at the YWCA at Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue this fall.
Water - River - Community
This one of a kind sculptural fountain celebrates and honors water as the foundation of life. The imagery encourages exploration into Minnesota’s rich geology and fosters civic dialogue regarding water conservation and the notion of public ownership of water.
We chose a classical fountain design because of its history as an inclusive gathering place. Using cast metal in the place of free flowing water, we hope to highlight the fact that water is a limited resource to be conserved and shared as a privilege. Ornate decoration, rock formations and cast metal details echo the Midwest grotto style. Grottos exhibit regional concepts and materials, offering a sacred and communal space.
The sculpture includes the three forms of water, gas/molecule, liquid, and solid-ice. The passage of time is equated with the water passage from spring to river to gulf. The references to Minnesota’s geology are numerous and include different rock types, glaciation, and water’s capacity to erode and flood.
Student and Community Involvement
Student-artists from South High School in Minneapolis are participating in a sculpture and writing residency with the artists. The students sculpted their imagery and words related to our discussions into the metal molecule relief sculptures. Their artwork comes from studying fossils of the pre-historic ocean and identifying the many languages of the neighborhood – the diversity of life. The bronze molecules will be set in the concrete bench on the plaza around the fountain.
Contributing South High Student-Artists
Marcus Aponte, Macy Cockbearn, Zak Doyle, Patrick Grafing, Aubrey Miller, Amanda Mills, Austin Peterson, Sam Philpot, Andrew Reina, Stevie Yanez, and Eli Zabloski.
Mary Altman, City of Minneapolis Public Arts Administrator Casting Creations, Foundry, Howard Lake, MN Max Cast, Foundry, Kalona, Iowa UMN Geological Survey, Alan Knaeble Max Cora, Fabricator Mayor R.T. Rybak our Mayor Sandy Speiler, founder of In The Heart of the Beast Theater Denny Sponsler, Art Teacher at South High School YWCA-Midtown, Partnership and location of the fountain Contributing student-artists at South High School