Immerse

September 1, 2021

Relocate, Restore, Return: Large-Scale Artworks Moving for Scottsdale Civic Center Renovations

Windows to the West by Louise Nevelson is among the artworks that will be temporarily moved from Scottsdale Civic Center during renovations. Photo: Scottsdale Arts

Beginning September 1, 2021, Scottsdale Public Art will begin the enormous job of moving 10 sculptures from the park area at Scottsdale Civic Center to make way for the city of Scottsdale’s upcoming renovation project. 

Some works will be permanently moved to different city-owned locations while others will be stored at secure city facilities until they can be re-installed at the Civic Center following the renovations, which will add new performance spaces, among other features. Additionally, two of the pieces will undergo restoration work before they are returned to the Civic Center.

Mountains and Rainbows by Jose Bermudez is among the artworks that will be relocated away from Scottsdale Civic Center prior to renovations. Photo: Scottsdale Arts

Relocations

Jose Bermudez’s Mountains and Rainbows (1976), above, will be sited near a lake at the new DC Ranch Park in north Scottsdale. This sculpture is no stranger to water; its original 1970s location was in a fountain at the Civic Center. 

Gary Slater’s Right-Angle Variations (1975) will be moved to a new soccer park under construction at Bell Road. Although it’s a static sculpture, the steel artwork’s overlapping right angles give it a dynamic sense of movement—perfect for an active sports park. 

Kenji Umeda’s Allurement of a Journey (1980) will be relocated to the grounds of the Arabian Library on McDowell Mountain Ranch Road. This Portuguese marble sculpture is already accustomed to the literary-minded, given its current location outside of the reading area at the Civic Center Library.

The Yearlings by George-Ann Tognoni is among the artworks that will be restored and repaired before returning to Scottsdale Civic Center. Photo: Scottsdale Arts

Restorations 

Following repairs, George-Ann Tognoni’s The Yearlings (1985), above, will be reinstalled a few yards east of its current location at the Main Street entrance to the Civic Center. The beloved bronze sculpture of three foals is one of the city’s oldest equestrian artworks. 

Dale Wright’s Don Quixote (1968) will also be restored before it returns to its current location in the lagoon just southwest of Scottsdale City Hall. This welded steel sculpture of the windmill-chasing character is one of three sculptures by Wright in the city’s collection.

LOVE by Robert Indiana is among the artworks that will be stored in secure locations during the renovations before returning to Scottsdale Civic Center, though some may be re-sited in different spots. Photo: Scottsdale Arts

Returning 

After the 18-month construction project is complete, Louise Nevelson’s Windows to the West (1973) will return to the Civic Center, but in a spot closer to Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Formally titled Atmosphere and Environments XVIII, this iconic steel sculpture was commissioned, in part, by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, making Scottsdale the first small city to receive an endowment from the NEA’s Works of Art in Public Places program. 

George-Ann Tognoni’s Winfield Scott Memorial (2007) will be re-sited closer to the nearby Scottsdale Historical Museum. The bronze sculpture is based on a photograph of Scottsdale’s founders, Winfield and Helen Scott. 

Clyde “Ross” Morgan’s Mayor Herbert “Herb” Drinkwater and His Dog Sadie (2003) will also get a slightly newer Civic Center location near City Hall. The sculpture’s current location is almost directly over the boulevard named for the former Scottsdale mayor. 

Robert Winslow’s Freedom (1977) will be situated in the new children’s garden, just north of the Civic Center Library, after renovations are complete. The new location will be fitting for the abstract limestone piece, which was donated by the artist’s friends in fondness for their three children. 

Robert Indiana’s LOVE (1999) sculpture, above, will be re-installed near its current location. One of the most recognizable pieces in the city’s collection, LOVE is a popular photo op for both locals and tourists. LOVE will be moving in October and in storage for more than a year, so be sure to take your photos before October 11, when the area surrounding LOVE is likely to be fenced off.

Fountain of Youth by Ivan Pintar is among the artworks that will be unaffected throughout the Scottsdale Civic Center renovation process. Photo: Scottsdale Arts

Remaining

Ivan Pintar’s Fountain of Youth (1968), John Waddell’s Mother and Child (1960), Abbot Pattison’s Woman and Fish (1954), and Austin Deuel’s The Chaplain (2009) will all remain in their current locations near Scottsdale City Hall. 

Additionally, all artworks inside Scottsdale City Hall, Scottsdale Civic Center Library, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) will be unaffected by the renovations and remain in place.

For more details about the city of Scottsdale’s $27.3 million renovation, and renderings of the new Civic Center plans, visit the city’s information page for the project.


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