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Flywheel Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 27, 2006
Public Art Work Flywheel Installed At Children’s Commission Facility
JACKSONVILLE, FL — A new installation of public art by Colorado artist David Griggs was installed February 27 at the new Jacksonville Children’s Commission, 1095 A. Philip Randolph Blvd., for the city’s Art in Public Places program. The artwork, entitled “Flywheel” is a series of abstract bird shapes which appear to fly around the administration building’s exterior tower and the early learning center rotunda.
The bird shapes are mounted on two 15-foot-diameter circular frameworks of rolled aluminum tubing, which encircle a tower feature in the middle of the building, creating a sense of color, light and movement. The artist fabricated the birds from water-jet-cut, laminated acrylic sandwiched in aluminum, with a special dichroic film which creates a number of iridescent color and light effects.
Another series of birds is mounted in shallow niches on the upper level of the building’s rotunda. These shapes are mounted directly on the walls so that they appear to fly in a circle around the rotunda, with similar light and color effects occurring in the sunlight.
“This design is meant to acknowledge the function of the Children’s Commission while offering a playful presence on the new building,” said Griggs. “Colorful and fun, the piece is intended to be engaging to children and all the other people who use the facility, as a friendly and welcoming addition to the neighborhood.”
Griggs has designed site-specific sculptures for buildings for over 15 years. His work takes cues from its setting to establish a heightened sense of place while utilizing architectural forms and industrial materials. Griggs has completed many public and private artworks in the United States and has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions.
The artist and his proposal were chosen from a field of more than 30 entries from around the country, by the Art Selection Committee of the Art in Public Places Commission. The Jacksonville Children’s Commission’s new building was completed and dedicated in September 2005.
Since 2003, more than 19 public art works have been installed by the City of Jacksonville’s Art in Public Places program, which is administered by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. See the art works or to learn more about the program..