This Year, July Ends with a Bang!

April 15, 2015 0 Comments

by Matthew Williams
Sure, Columbus rings July in with Red, White and BOOM! But this year, July is going to end with a bang, too. On Saturday, July 25, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Harrison Park Condos Community Center, the Harrison West Society, in partnership with the Columbus Public Art Program, will kick off open voting for a public artwork in Harrison Park. The art budget is $90,000 with funding provided by the Harrison West Society and the Columbus Public Art Program. The piece will be the last of five art pieces originally planned for the park.

Administered by the city, a call for artists was issued in November 2014. Ohio artists were invited to submit examples of their past work, and more than 20 artists responded. Their submissions were reviewed by an art advisory panel consisting of neighborhood representatives, nonparticipating artists, a design professional, a member of the Columbus Art Commission and a nonvoting advisory representative from the Recreation and Parks Department.

The panel was charged with recommending three artists to create site-specific public-art proposals for the park. The qualifications of the artist finalists were then submitted to the Columbus Art Commission (CAC) for review and approval. The CAC has code-required approval authority over any art placed on city property or in the public right of way.

The three finalists—Jon Barlow Hudson, Todd Kime, and Xan Palay—will be on hand to present their proposals and explain their visions for a work of public art in Harrison Park. After the presentations, attendees will be able to talk with the artists, vote for their favorite proposal, enjoy treats and mingle with their neighbors.

Voting will continue online through August 7 on a website sponsored by the city. Voters will be able to watch recordings of the artists’ proposals online as well, so keep an eye on harrisonwest.org for more information on the voting website.

The proposal with the most votes will be announced on the Harrison West and city of Columbus websites in mid-August, after which, the proposal will be submitted to the Columbus Art Commission for conceptual approval. Once this approval is secured, the Development Department will enter into contract with the artist and determine a timetable for completion. The goal will be to have the final sculpture installed in summer 2016.

Please plan to join us on July 25, 2015 from 6 until 9 p.m. in the Harrison Park Condos Community Center, 575 W. 1st Ave., to vote and nosh and mingle and celebrate this exciting step forward for Harrison West.