Omaha World Herald, NE
10-10-07
Council Bluffs unveils public art
BY JASON KUIPER
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
COUNCIL BLUFFS - Four pieces of public art were unveiled today in what
organizers hope will be a major step toward making Council Bluffs known from
coast to coast.
The artwork is from two of the four artists chosen for Iowa West Public Art's $9
million first phase. The project began with the spring unveiling of the Bayliss Park
redesign and continued today with presentation of works by artists William King
of East Hampton, N.Y., and Deborah Masuoka of Omaha.
"This is going to be a collection that will transform your community," said Lynette
Pohlman, director and chief curator of the Iowa State University Museums
and a member of the project's art-selection panel. She spoke at an event this
morning at the Mid-America Center held to mark the project's unveiling.
Pohlman said the Council Bluffs project made progress quickly.
"What they have done in about 18 months here has taken us about 10 years to
do at Iowa State," she said.
Iowa West Foundation Executive Director Todd Graham said of the public art
project, "We do this as a larger strategy to revitalize our community."
Project organizers view the entire city of Council Bluffs as a sculpture park for
public art, he said.
King, whose sculptures of the human form are internationally known, now has
three pieces located at entrances to the Mid-America Center. The pieces - titled
"Interstate," "Sunrise" and "Circus" - depict human bodies in plate aluminum,
"paring down to human gestures," Pohlman said.
She described the King pieces as humorous and reflective of their creator, tall
and thin.
Masuoka's piece - a collection of three eight-foot tall bronze rabbit heads - is
being installed south of the junction of South Main and Pearl Streets in downtown
Council Bluffs. The work is on site and just needs to be bolted in, Masuoka said.
Yet to come in the summer are works by two more internationally known artists,
Jonathan Borofsky of Maine and Jun Kaneko of Omaha. One of Borofsky's
famed "Molecule Man" sculptures and a 400-foot-long sculpture garden by
Kaneko featuring three bronze head sculptures and 18 ceramic sculptures will be
installed along the entire frontage of the Mid-America Center and be visible from
Omaha.
"Within a short walk will be three internationally known artists," Graham said. "It
will be one of the best dressed convention centers in the world."
The pieces will enrich the community and be appreciated by future generations,
he said. Ultimately, Graham said, he hopes public art impacts tourism, economic
development and quality of life.
Jerry Mathiasen, associate executive director of the Iowa West Foundation, said
the project is already getting wide recognition. He said Graham has been invited
to speak at international conferences on public art in Seattle and New York in the
next few weeks.
Iowa West funded and coordinated a community-based public art master
planning process for Council Bluffs and a 19-member steering committee was
formed to provide input and help identify 50 possible locations for public art. A
smaller public art selection panel made up of art professionals then toured those
sites and provided further input.
This morning a Web site was launched featuring examples of the art, artist's bios,
the program's master plan, history of Council Bluffs and interactive educational
materials. A link to the site can be found at omaha.com.
Iowa West is supported by casino and investment income.
Omaha has added its share of public art in recent years. Omaha artist Matt
Placzek created a $1.5 million project in front of the Qwest Center Omaha.
The project features a large working clock, as well as bronze statues of street
performers. Placzek also designed the labor sculpture at Lewis & Clark Landing.
The city's downtown Hilton Omaha has a number of works by Omaha area
artists, including Kaneko. Almost $500,000 has been spent for artwork at the
hotel, according to the city finance department.
First National Bank has placed geese, buffalo and pioneer sculptures downtown.
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