Latest news with #JanetEchelman
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Bending Arc' net sculpture at St. Pete Pier is coming down
The St. Pete Pier's focal point, the 'Bending Arc' sculpture by Janet Echelman, is being taken down to see if it can be rehung in a way that leaves it less susceptible to storm damage. The four-year-old sculpture has suffered damage from three separate storms. Former Mayor Rick Kriseman raised $1.25 million of private money to pay for the sculpture and another $400,000 for its foundation, lighting and four pylons. Echelman, a Boston-based artist, was born and raised in Tampa. But her prestigious art career has taken her around the world, where she installs aerial net sculptures that come alive with the movement of the wind, and with colorful LED lights at night. The name 'Bending Arc' comes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s words: 'The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.' The artist has said that of all the sculptures she's created, 'Bending Arc' is the most meaningful. As soft and airy as the sculpture is, it is intended to be incredibly strong and durable. It can withstand 150 mph winds, the same that a skyscraper must endure.
Axios
10-02-2025
- General
- Axios
St. Pete begins removing pier's storm-damaged sculpture
The St. Pete Pier 's famed sculpture in the sky is coming down. Why it matters: Tampa Bay native artist Janet Echelman's public art display, called "Bending Arc," has been a prominent feature of the pier since it opened in 2020. State of play: Last year's hurricanes damaged the netted sculpture, with Milton's 100-mph gusts delivering the worst blow. A city contractor began taking the piece down on Monday "to ensure safe access to the lawn area" beneath the artwork, per a city spokesperson. Officials will then assess the state of the sculpture and decide whether it can be reinstalled. City Council members last week approved $33,000 for the removal and assessment. The sculpture was originally paid for by about $1.5 million in private donations. Between the lines: The sculpture was inspired by barnacle colonies growing beneath the pier and vintage postcards showing blue- and white-striped beach umbrellas that once dotted the beaches of Tampa Bay, per Echelman's website. Echelman also drew from the pier's history in the Civil Rights era, during which a group of residents successfully sued the city to force integration at the city-owned Spa Beach and Spa Pool. The name is a nod toward the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quote, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."
