The dedication ceremony of Tacomas newest public art will be held March 12 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center, 1500 Broadway. The public is invited to attend this free event.
The art program, developed by lead artists Stuart Keeler and Michael Machnic, is the first public art funded by 1 percent of construction costs in Tacoma since the program was reinstated in 2000 after a 15-year hiatus. In addition to creating their signature artwork Apotheosis, Keeler and Machnic created opportunities for contemporary artists to gain experience in public art. The result is the collaborative work in terrazzo, Seeded Forest, by Tacoma artists Yuki Nakamura and Joseph Miller and a unique partnership with the John Michael Kohler Arts Center/Artist in Residence Program which resulted in the installation Lovesick Walls by Alex Schweder.
The convention center art program re-sited several important portable art works within the facility. Kenneth Callahan and Guy Anderson pieces “Vernal Equinox” and “Sanctity of Early Form” are now located in prominent locations in the center. Andy Warhol’s “Flower for the Tacoma Dome” serigraph and original acetate also are displayed. Originally submitted to the City of Tacoma for the 1982 Tacoma Dome public art commission, these images are now used in reproductions around the world.
Following the dedication, an artist lecture and reception will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave. Space is limited, so those interested in attending should RSVP to 253-591-5191 or amcbride@cityoftacoma.org.
This dedication program is sponsored by the City of Tacoma Arts Commission, the Tacoma Art Museum and the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center. Visit http://www.cityoftacoma.org/arts for more information.
