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New Sculpture arriving October 14

Wandell Sculpture Garden: New piece arriving and another piece to be relocated for better viewing

The Urbana Park District will add another piece to the Wandell Sculpture Garden in Meadowbrook Park and relocate an existing piece for better viewing on October 14, 2015, with a rain date of October 26.

Tall Ship II, a piece by artist Bruce Niemi from Kenosha, Wisconsin, will be placed in a new sculpture location on a raised berm at the east end of the organic gardens alongside the Hickman Wildflower Walk. The piece, which is representational of tall ships of old, is made from stainless steel and weighs about 1,200 pounds.

In an artist statement provided to the park district Niemi said, “The billowing of the sails can be felt as you look up into the piece. If you close your eyes and imagine, you can feel the swaying of being on her deck and feeling the wind blow through your hair.”

Superintendent of planning and operations Derek Liebert explained, “that same day, we will relocate Molecular Reflection by Christiane Martens to an elevated berm at the intersection of the Hickman Wildflower Walk and the Wandell Sculpture Garden. The berm is located closer to the path than the previous location and like the Tall Ship berm, will afford for better viewing. Both pieces will be planted with surrounding wildflowers as part of the Hickman Wildflower Walk restoration,” he said.

The Wandell Sculpture Garden was dedicated in June 1999. The garden was named in honor of Celia and Willet Wandell, who owned a local plant nursery and established a trust to give trees to neighboring communities. Celia and Willet’s family saw the Urbana Park District’s plans for a sculpture garden in Urbana as a way to both honor their parents and support art in a natural setting.

To learn more about the sculpture garden visit https://www.urbanaparks.org/assets/1/6/WSG_Brochure_Fall_2015.pdf

 

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