If you’ve walked around downtown in the last couple of weeks, you may have noticed the eastern sidewalk on the 200 block of Gay Street is clear after a year of obstruction due to fencing. Behind the spot where the former fence stood, our new Pier 865 sculpture now emanates from the center of what was once a park dedicated to country music history in the city.
The $1.2 million sculpture was developed by THEVERYMANY, a New York studio led by artist Marc Fornes. Surface 678 and Hedstrom Design helped develop the vision for the park. Also providing labor or financial support: The Public Arts Committee, the City’s Urban Forestry and Horticulture divisions, the state of Tennessee, Visit Knoxville, and the Downtown Knoxville Alliance. Blount Contractors Inc. served as construction contractor.
The project proved controversial throughout its history for a wide range of reasons. Some of those concerns were answered, though not always to the satisfaction of the various parties. Criticisms included the fact that the new sculpture has no connection to the city’s legacy of Country Music the park had been designated to honor. Others felt the selection was made with inadequate community input, though meetings were publicized at the time. Some thought a local sculptor should have been a priority, while others expressed concern regarding the trees that would be lost as part of the installation.
That’s a lot. A slight shift in the orientation of the sculpture resulted in very minimal loss of trees—one, to be precise. Nine new trees were planted.
The sculptor is not local, of course, so that could not be changed but, as a side note for those interested, there is an effort currently underway, SoKno Sculpt, with a focus on funding local sculptors to have their installations placed along the new Rails-to-Trails project in south Knoxville. The idea is to engage homeowners and businesses along the trail to help make those choices. The City has provided a starter fund of $5,000 to match homeowner/business owner investments in sculpture by local artists.
If you were among those who wish you’d had a voice in the design, you have another chance this week. Yes!Knoxville is hosting a Design Slam! at Alliance Brewing this Thursday night from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Groups will tackle design projects for specific public spaces and the audience gets to vote. It’s a kind of grassroots first step that will lead to good public design.
So, what to make of this large work among us?
Heather Ryerson recently spoke to James Taylor who was on the committee which selected Pier 865. He said the artist came highly recommended from every city where he’d placed works. He noted that, speaking as both a musician and a black man in Knoxville he likes the fact that the structure (he said the pedestal should be considered part of the work) points toward East Knoxville. He sees that as offering hope and communicating there is worth in that part of the city. He added that he appreciates that the sculpture is not a literal reference to music. He sees in the history of country music a divisiveness that has sometimes excluded the black community, and he feels the work offers hope and welcome to all.
So, whether you love it or hate it, it’s ours to deal with. From my completely informal polling, I’m hearing a mixed bag. I’ve heard from several downtown residents who love the whimsy, the curves, and even the colors. I’ve heard from others who just about as passionately don’t like all the above. It certainly makes a statement, but what is it saying?
As you can see from the photographs included here, I took a deep dive. I wanted to see it from as many angles as possible. I wanted to see it in the daytime and at night. I wanted an aerial view.
One disappointment became immediately clear (or obscured by darkness): It needs and deserves better lighting. The lighting included is nowhere near adequate to make it the stunning piece it could be at night. When I walked by at night only one of the three (too small) lights was working, while the other two had moisture behind their glass and were dark. I hope the dramatic lighting it deserves can be retrofitted.
As I watched, photographed, and experienced the sculpture, many people took pictures of the sculpture and selfies with it in the background. I saw a father and son walk around inside talking to each other as they looked around. Of course, I saw homeless people resting there, though not to the exclusion of anyone else who stopped by. David Brace happened by, and we talked about the various facets of the sculpture.
Art is expected to serve an almost impossible range of functions. It can be expected to be beautiful or inspiring. An artist can seek to challenge us, to puzzle us, to bring us together, to shine a light on injustice, or to celebrate humanity. Amid all the above, one function of art is simply to engender conversation. In that, this work seems to be a success out the gate. We’re talking about it, dissecting it, reacting emotionally whether out of appreciation or disgust. What does it mean, does it mean anything, must it have a literal meaning? Who knows?
For me, as I truly tried to forget all the controversy and to simply focus on the reality we have in front of us, I found my appreciation growing. Look at all these perspectives. How would you describe the work to someone who has never seen it, based on just one of these photos? It’s virtually a different work depending on your angle or your proximity. Lie down and look up. Walk a step or two underneath, attend to what you see, move another step in any direction and look again.
I’m reminded of the blind explaining an elephant based on the portion they’d felt. Each angle is different, surprising, and sometimes rewarding. Light sparkles through the pinhole openings in the work. Larger vistas shift to include clouds, trees, passing birds, buildings from new angles. Lie on your back and look up. Play. Find joy in the shifting shapes.
I don’t know if anyone else will find delight in the sculpture. My expectations were exceeded and maybe yours will be, if you give it a chance. For better or for worse, it’s ours, now, and I hope it will become a loved feature of our center city.