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Rookie Card Press Release
For Immediate Release
January 05, 2005
Sculptor Barbara Grygutis Selected For Public Art Project at the Ballpark Complex
JACKSONVILLE, FL – The Art in Public Places Commission has selected Tucson, Ariz.-based artist Barbara Grygutis to create a large-scale outdoor artwork for the corner of Duval and Georgia streets, adjacent to the Jacksonville Ballpark Complex.
Grygutis has been commissioned to create “Rookie Card,” a 25-foot high aluminum sculpture portraying a baseball player in batting stance. The sculpture, measuring 18 inches thick, is constructed of perforated metal around a structural framework. “Rookie Card” is lit from within in order to serve as a visual beacon between the ballpark and the adjoining parking lot.
“Rookie Card” is surrounded by a baseball diamond-shaped plaza area featuring landscaping and benches creating a meeting place for patrons. The benches, made of cut granite, will resemble large baseballs. An archway is created by the batter’s pose, and serves as a gateway within the sculpture.
“This work of art pays tribute to the past and celebrates the present,” said Grygutis. “The sculpture commemorates a historic view of baseball through the use of contemporary materials and lighting. The blend of old and new and the continuity of this sport from the past through the present is the theme of this work, as well as celebrating the pastime of collecting baseball cards.”
Selected from a field of more than 35 submissions from around the country, Grygutis is an accomplished artist active in the public art arena since 1985. She has served as lead artist in more than 30 projects across the country. She has completed large-scale commissions for parks, transit facilities, road projects and public plazas in Ohio, New Mexico, Minneapolis, New Jersey and Washington State.
The project was commissioned in accordance with the Art in Public Places Ordinance, which requires the dedication of three-quarters of one percent of construction and design costs of new or renovated public facilities for the purchase of public art.
The Art in Public Places Program is directed by the City’s appointed Public Art Commission, with administration and technical assistance provided by the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville. For more information on Jacksonville’s public art program, contact the Art in Public Places Office at 358-3600, or visit the website at www.culturalcouncil.org.