Tag Archive: dedication

NEW PUBLIC ARTWORK DEDICATED

AT WHITE ROCK HILLS BRANCH LIBRARY

DALLAS:  The City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs and the Library are unveiling a new piece of public art. The sculpture, Fenestrae Aeternitatis, stands in front of the White Rock Hills Branch Library. Ohio-based sculptor Jon Barlow Hudson created the work, which reminds the viewer of the pages of a book and a window. The dedication ceremony takes place at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 10, 2013. Dallas City Council Members Carolyn Davis (District 7) and Sheffie Kadane (District 9) will be in attendance.  The library is located at 9150 Ferguson Road, Dallas, 75217. The reception is sponsored by the Ferguson Road Initiative, a community organization dedicated to the economic revitalization of East Dallas.

The sculpture is made of Texas pink granite with stainless steel connecting panels.  The forms are 10 feet high with carved edges. The sculpture is inspired by the ancient concept of fenestrae aeternitatis, a Latin term for “windows into eternity.”  Each granite window frame opens onto another creating a visual phenomenon of one idea leading to another. The open areas inside each stone structure can serve as seating or just a space to contemplate new ideas.

“This is a great piece for the library,” says Public Art Manager, Kay Kallos. “The sculpture is all about opening oneself to new ideas, and the library is the perfect place to start that journey. Stylistically, it has a modern look which compliments the design of the building.”

Jon Barlow Hudson has created sculpture from a wide variety of elements, ranging from stone and metal to water, glass and light. He has created artwork for public spaces in Australia, China, Japan, Dubai/U.A.E., Germany and Lithuania. Hudson has a Master of Fine Arts degree from the California Institute of Fine Arts in Valencia, CA and designed this work specifically for the White Rock Hills Branch Library.

“We’re pleased to have Jon’s work in front of the library,” says Jo Giudice, Director of the Dallas Public Library. “The artwork raises the visibility of the library within the community. We hope it will attract new visitors interested in all of the good programs we have taking place at White Rock Hills Library!”

“Public art contributes to the beautification of the neighborhood,” says Vikki Martin with the Ferguson Road Initiative. “People want to live, work and play in beautiful communities, so in that respect, public art contributes to our mission of economic development.”

ABOUT THE OFFICE OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS

The Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) provides opportunities for all Dallas citizens and visitors to have access to the arts and the means of cultural expression. The Office of Cultural Affairs works with its citizen advisory board, the Cultural Affairs Commission, to foster the development of the cultural system in Dallas. OCA provides a variety of programs and services, including the management and operations of cultural facilities, a public art program, cultural funding programs and WRR Radio. More information on the Office of Cultural Affairs’ programs can be found on its website at http://www.DallasCulture.org.

ABOUT THE PUBLIC ART PROGRAM

The Public Art Program works to enrich the quality of life for the citizens of Dallas and enhance the cultural appeal of the City to visitors by overseeing the integration of high-quality visual art into public spaces. The Program provides opportunities for local and regional artists as well as visual artists from around the globe through commissions of works of public art. The program also supports donations of public art to the City of Dallas that are subject to a review process for acceptance that includes members of the Public Art Committee and the Cultural Affairs Commission. The Public Art Program is a division of the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs.