A canoe-themed sculpture installation in Ann Arbor, Michigan this spring may have a Missouri flavor. Two of the three sculptures up for a public vote were created by artists at Missouri Western State University.
Canoe Imagine Art is a public art project that repurposes canoes retired by the City of Ann Arbor into works of art, with the purpose of celebrating the history and attributes of the Huron River and/or the city’s park system.
Ann Arbor’s Arts Alliance released a nationwide call for artists to submit works for review and selection and received a total of 21 submissions. A jury of citizens selected a total of six works, three for installation and three for public vote. Of the three pieces up for public vote, one will be chosen for installation.
“Turbine” was designed by Missouri Western students Heather Andrews and Jake Proffit; J. Neil Lawley, assistant professor of art and director of sculpture; and construction professional Dustin Lafromboise. The name is in reference to the movement and occasional turbulence of the river and the history of hydroelectricity generated by the river. The sculpture will stand 11’9” tall and have a diameter of 19’4”. It will be composed of ten (10) recycled canoes, which will be cut in half crossways and arranged into two tilted radial arrays attached to a central pillar. The arrays will be oriented in opposite directions and approximately 30 degrees off the horizontal axis. They will be mounted to metal discs that will allow the canoes to be rotated (either by hand or wind) around its central axis.
“Double Eddy,” by J. Neil Lawley“Double Eddy” was designed by J. Neil Lawley. The title is a formal reference to the funneling of an eddy in a river current and the diversion of the waste stream that occurs by using repurposed materials. The proposed sculpture will stand 13’4” tall and have a diameter of 10’3”. It will be composed of ten (10) recycled canoes, which will be cut in half crossways and arranged into two cone shapes. One of the cones will be inverted and attached to the other, with the ends of the two cones aligned with the negative spaces formed between the joined canoes. There are two possible versions of the piece: one vertically aligned and the other tilted. The vertically aligned version will emphasize symmetry whereas the tilted version creates more of a sense of swirling movement.
The third sculpture up for public vote, “Huron Flower,” was designed by a team from the University of Michigan.
Online public voting is now open for the selection of the final artwork for Canoe Imagine Art. The public is invited to review and vote for their favorite online at bit.ly/canoevote through May 1.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.