CITY OF COLUMBUS COMMISSIONS FOUR ARTISTS TO CREATE PUBLIC ART ON THE PENINSULA
Sculpture and three murals to adorn the Starling Garage draw inspiration from the ecology, history and diversity of Franklinton and the Scioto River
[Columbus, OH] – The City of Columbus today announced the commission of four artists to create public art to beautify the Starling Garage on The Peninsula. Local muralists Adam Hernandez, Nick Stull and Lucie Shearer and award-winning architecture and design firm Studio KCA were selected from a field of 81 artists to create three murals and one sculpture to adorn the city-owned parking garage opening in June.
“The Peninsula is growing into a destination for the entire city that links neighborhoods across the riverfront. These vibrant works of art will bolster our sense of community connection by celebrating the diversity, open-mindedness and optimism of our city,” said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. “Drawing inspiration from the natural beauty, rich history and cultural diversity of Franklinton and the Scioto Mile, these artists and their respective artwork will invite guests to The Peninsula to reflect on who we are as a community and who we will become.”
The works, commissioned by the city for $250,000, were presented to and approved by the Columbus Art Commission during its February meeting. The works include:
“ Gather and Flow” by Studio KCA - Inspired by an eddy in a river, birds in a jet stream and people who gather together, the sculpture will depict a flock of starlings taking flight, dimensionally flying from one garage tower to the other. Each starling will be adorned with an LED light to take on the appearance of a constellation at night.
“ Vejigante Godmask” by Adam Hernandez – A celebration of Columbus’ culture and diversity and the artist’s own Puerto Rican heritage, the mural will depict a Godmask inspired by the indigenous meanings of the words Scioto (Wyandot for “deer”) and Olentangy (Delaware for “river of the red face paint”).
“ Creative Consciousness,” by Nick Stull – Depicting elements from both nature and science, the mural celebrates the relationship between Columbus’ naturalistic history and technological advances aimed to preserve the environment.
“ Scioto Magic” by Lucie Shearer – A surrealist depiction of a woman holding a river, symbolizing time, the mural conveys the fluidity of the past, present and future and captures a river’s role as a source of life.
The murals will be installed on the Starling Garage before its opening in June, and the sculpture will be fabricated and installed this summer. The garage, developed by the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation (CDDC) on behalf of the City of Columbus, will serve both employees, residents and guests of the mixed-use development under construction on The Peninsula.
“On The Peninsula, we’re building places for people to live, work and play, and public art is part of the unique urban fabric that will make it a desirable destination,” said Amy Taylor, President of the CDDC. “We’re thrilled that the city will be featuring such talented artists, who have captured the soul of this new neighborhood, embracing the bend of the Scioto River that quite literally defines The Peninsula while embodying the energy, inclusion and openness of Columbus.”