Urbana Park District recently installed two new sculptures in Meadowbrook Park – Tángara by Patricia Corredor and Essence of Nature by Janet Austin.

Both works are on loan from the artists.

Corredor, an artist from Colombia, described Tángara. “The sculpture is created in honor of all the birds in extinction,” she said. She added, “The Bird is wearing a pair of ‘slippers’ as a symbol of its condition and illness. They act as well as support for survival and the graceful continuation of its journey. The sculpture is on a curved plane resembling a tree trunk with leaves on which the Bird stands ready to fly away.”

Austin described The Essence of Nature. “Everyone likes birds; we see them, we hear them, we eat them. They are an essential cog in the living circle of our world. The tree is pared down to its essential shape: trunk and branches. It is support and shelter, a place to build a nest, a place where food can be found, capturing the energy of the sun through photosynthesis,” she commented.

People can use the Urbana Arts & Sculpture Tour to find the sculptures and all the other works of art in Meadowbrook Park.

Essence of Nature was on display at the Chicago Sculpture Exhibit in 2018 and the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce on 2019.

Tángara was on display in the 2019 at the Chicago Sculpture Exhibit.

Urbana Park District is pleased to host these sculptures. “Art has always been a big component in our parks,” said Timothy Bartlett, Executive Director. “We are always looking for new sculptures to display in Wandell Sculpture Garden and Tángara and Essence of Nature gives us a new look. We thank Ms. Corredor and Ms. Austin for loaning us their works of art and we invite to public to get out and enjoy these new sculptures and all of our park district art.”