Public Art Abounds

by Sriyani Tidball

It seems that every year a new piece of art is unveiled in our Lincoln—a city that satisfies art lovers. There are more than 100 pieces of public art on display throughout the city. Public art in Lincoln comes in all forms—sculpture, memorials, murals, monuments and wall art. So take some time to enjoy the art in the city.

A 45-foot-tall metal sculpture, the Harvest, with its ever-changing colors, shines in the plaza in front of the Pinnacle Bank Arena. The abstract sculpture with lights illuminating upward—both interior and exterior—was designed by Portland, Oregon artist, Ed Carpenter. It’s a masterpiece of light-sensitive stainless steel and laminated glass. Carpenter said the sculpture is a “beautiful, distinctive form that complements the arena and the plaza, visible on two streets, R and Canopy.”  Harvest evokes a sheaf of wheat, or a fountain. All the materials are sensitive to light and it’s illumination gives it a 24-hour presence.  The dichroic glass used by Carpenter “reacts in a marvelously mercurial way to light,” as the colors change from every angle.

Lincoln is the home to one of the largest freestanding ceramic sculptures ever made. New York City Sculpture artist James Tyler created his 15-foot tall ceramic creation for the Union Plaza Park. The Colossus, a giant brick head, consists of more than 300 individually shaped bricks stacked in concentric circles, layer upon layer, using over ten tons of red clay. The masterpiece stands in the middle block of Union Plaza, between P and Q Streets.

The Lincoln Monument on the West Plaza of the Nebraska State Capitol is the only structure on the grounds that predates Bertram Goodhue’s “Tower on the Plains” begun in 1922.

The Nebraska Legislature created the Lincoln Centennial Memorial Association on April 14, 1903, and authorized it to spend ten thousand dollars in state funds on the memorial, provided an equal amount could be raised from private contributions.  Nebraska’s great orator William Jennings Bryan spoke to a crowd of thousands at the September 2, 1912 dedication of the statue.

When Daniel Chester French received the commission to produce the Lincoln statue in June 1909, he was one of America’s leading sculptors with works like the Minute Man in Concord, MA, plus the Gallaudet Memorial and and the statue of Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial, both in Washington, D.C.

Ascent, another recent sculpture on 14th and P Streets, was installed by German steel and glass workers in the heart of downtown Lincoln. The large glass spire lights up at night like a magical tower of color. Created by renowned Japanese sculptor and Omaha resident Jun Kaneko, it consists of sand gardens, and concrete concentric circles that surround the five-story, multi-colored, lighted glass tower. The $1.15 million, 57-foot-tall glass tower, fabricated in Germany, is the centerpiece of Tower Square at 13th and P Streets. A 1970s theater was demolished to make way for this shiny new plaza with lots of seating and space to simply linger and enjoy. Come to the Tower Square and enjoy the space, bring your lunch or your coffee, come with your friends and immerse yourself in this piece of art.

The Sheldon Sculpture Garden, located on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, features 30 distinct sculptures from the early 20th century to the present. Dedicated in 1970, the garden originally covered 2.5 acres. Outstanding pieces of modern and contemporary sculptures have been installed in the garden as well as across the campus. These world-class sculptures, created by artists from around the world, continually intrigue UNL students and staff as well as visitors. The most popular sculptures in the Sheldon Sculpture Garden include Torn Notebook by Claes Oldenberg and Coosje van Bruggen, Old Glory by Mark di Suvero, and Greenpoint by Richard Serra.

For a map of the sculptures and for more information, visit sheldonartmuseum.org. Other sculptures on campus include David Smith’s Superstructure Four, an amazing stainless steel work; Tony Smith’s Willy; Prismatic Flake near the Alumni Building on R Street; and Variable Wedge, an abstract close to Westbrook Music Building. These are only a few of the sculptures that grace UNL’s campus.

REDWALL is a collection of 383 individual ceramic tiles that nearly covers an entire wall in the Lied Center for Performing Arts’ newly added Lied Commons. Eddie Dominguez, an associate professor of art at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, envisioned the public art project and saw it to fruition. To show that the work represents a community, not a singular artist, individuals who created the tiles remain anonymous. Children and students created many of the tiles, ranging from images of flowers to footballs.

In 2003, the Lincoln Arts Council spearheaded what is considered Lincoln’s first major public art project. Designed to draw attention to Lincoln’s 85-mile trail system, the Tour de Lincoln featured 71 bicycle sculptures located throughout the city’s parks, businesses, private residences, and, of course, bike trails. In October 2003, the bicycles were auctioned as a fundraiser, although many remain in their original locations for permanent display.

This was followed by 69 pieces of star-themed artwork that graced Lincoln during 2006. This public art project, which benefitted the Lincoln YWCA and each work’s artist, was made of a wide variety of styles—photographs to sculptures, mosaics to paintings. Each piece of artwork was created with a general star theme in honor of Lincoln, the Star City.

The most recent public art project, implemented in 2015, was the Illuminate Lincoln Project. This public art project marked the 25th anniversary of one of the city’s after-school programs. The bulb project consisted of nearly 50 light bulbs that were painted and decorated by Nebraska artists and displayed throughout the city.

A 15-foot tall photomural by Lincoln artist Larry Roots covers the skywalk above S. 12th Street, between O and N Streets. Featuring individuals of different age, gender and ethnicities, the mural emphasizes Lincoln’s diversity.

In 2004, the Friends of the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln commissioned sculptor George Lundeen to create a multi-figure sculpture, On the Trail of Discovery: Commemorating the Journey of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806. The bronze sculpture features explorers Lewis and Clark, a Native American guide and boy, and the expedition’s Newfoundland dog. It commemorates a pivotal moment in American history and guides visitors into UNL’s Center for Great Plains Studies.

Appropriately situated near Nebraska Wesleyan University’s fine arts buildings, Calling Away symbolizes the uniting of the fine arts: art, music, and theatre. Calling Away was created by 1950 by sculptor Dan Peragine and is made of blue welded steel.

Bronze sculpture Watchful Citizen portrays a man sitting on one side of a bench with plenty of room for a passer-by to stop and rest next to him. The sculpture in Lincoln’s Haymarket near Lincoln Station (N. 7th and Q Streets) provides a popular spot for photo opportunities. Artists Elizabeth Stanley Wallace and William Schlaebitz created the sculpture in 1993.

Located in one of Lincoln’s most popular attractions, the Sunken Gardens, Reveille is a cast metal sculpture created by Dr. Wayne Southwick. Reveille depicts an angle blowing a trumpet and was inspired by the artist’s wife getting their children out of bed.

The Bicentennial Cascade Fountain is a concrete water feature placed near one of Lincoln’s busiest intersections, S. 27th Street and Capitol Parkway. The fountain, created by artist Larry B. Group, is a tribute to teachers and how they influence the youth of Nebraska.

Honoring the pioneer women of Nebraska, sculptor Ellis L. Burman’s Pioneer Woman rests in the Memory Garden at 33rd and Melrose.

Pioneer Park on the southwest Lincoln has a number of amazing sculptures in the midst of nature. Take a walk on the wild side and enjoy the bronzes situated all over the 668 acres of tall grass prairie, woodlands, wetlands and streams. Enjoy the eight miles of hiking trails that wind through various habitats sharing amazing art along the way. One of my favorite sculptures at the park is The Smoke Signal, by Ellis Burman, installed 80 years ago. The sculpture is a memorial dedicated to the Nebraska Native American tribes. Its dedication in 1935 was attended by over 100 Native Americans, including chiefs from the Omaha, Winnebago, Sioux, and Ponca Tribes, who in full dress sat on their horses atop the hillside facing the setting sun.

These are only some of the public sculptures in Lincoln, as well as some great murals on walls. The museums are full of amazing art too. Lincoln is truly a city full of art.

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