Blue Springs Public Art Commission and Blue Springs Downtown Alive!
Announce Winning Proposals for the Remnants Restored Call to Artists
Blue Springs, Mo. – The Blue Springs Public Art Commission and Blue Springs Downtown Alive! are pleased to announce the selection of Jake Balcom and Scot Furgason to commission two permanent public art pieces for the downtown corridor.
The Blue Springs Public Art Commission and Blue Springs Downtown Alive! partnered to create the Remnants Restored Permanent Public Art project. This project celebrates the City’s history by featuring two sculptures that incorporate recovered materials from Blue Springs’ past. The first sculpture will include recovered aluminum from the historic America’s Community Bank building and the second sculpture will feature steel from the downtown water tower, a former City landmark.
“The mission of Blue Springs Downtown Alive! is to find innovative ways to revitalize downtown by engaging in historic preservation activities that improve the appearance, business vitality and livability,” said Blue Springs Downtown Alive! President Cindy Miller. “Remnants Restored is a unique way to restore the recovered materials to their former glory, honor their place in our past and initiate interest and conversation about the historical significance of our City’s downtown corridor.”
The two finalists were selected by the Remnants Restored selection panel on Saturday, March 28 at Adams Pointe Conference Center. The panel included two representatives from Downtown Alive!: Chris Birkenmaier and Pam Wheeler, two Blue Springs Public Art Commissioners: Ramon Magee and Lawrence Randall, two external judges: Jan Duffendack and Stefan Hodes and Kim Nakahodo representing the City.
“We were impressed with not only the number but the caliber of submissions to this Call to Artist,” said Remnants Restored Jury Foreman Ramon Magee. “We had over 100 nationwide submissions to this project and many applicants were renowned public art professionals. We are excited that the Public Art Commission is known for our ability to promote aesthetic excellence in our community while enhancing the artistic growth of Blue Springs.”
The first sculpture, commissioned by Kansas City, Missouri artist Jake Balcom, will feature recovered aluminum paneling from the America’s Community Bank Historic Renovation project. “My concept for this project is a large, three dimensional sculpture that celebrates rebirth and growth from the metal paneling that was ‘shed’ as part of the bank renovation process. This sculpture will be a tall sculpture ‘growing out of the ground’ that includes large spherical blooms radiating at the top, similar to abstract flower blooms or fireworks made from the upcycled aluminum remnants.”
The second sculpture, commissioned by Santa Fe, New Mexico artist Scot Furgason, will feature recovered steel from the downtown water tower that was removed in 2014 as part of the Howard L. Brown Renovation and Expansion project. “My concept for this design is to honor the history of the recovered metal and create a balance between past and present,” said Furgason. “This allows the history evident in the material to come forward. My steel kinetic sculpture will explore different levels of physical interaction by physically balancing the past and present.”
The commissioned artists will receive $15,000 for each sculpture from Blue Springs Downtown Alive!. The sculptures will be installed in November 2015 and dedicated in the spring of 2016. The Blue Springs Public Art Commission and Blue Springs Downtown Alive! are currently soliciting donations for the Remnants Restored project. If you are interested in donating, please contact Downtown Alive at (816) 863-5555.
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