Immerse

August 19, 2022

A Deeper Dive into Public Art in Scottsdale, Part 2:

What other types of public art are part of Scottsdale’s collection and what role does Scottsdale Public Art play in the care of these pieces for our community? Scottsdale Public Art tackles art conservation and restoration, manages the city of Scottsdale’s Municipal Art Collection, and creates exhibitions at the Civic Center Library.

The FIRST: Native American Artists of Arizona exhibition at the Civic Center Public Gallery was on display from January 10–March 30, 2022. Photo: Scottsdale Arts.

As stewards of public art, it is our responsibility and desire to ensure that the art is in good condition for future generations and maintains the artist’s original intent. Art conservation and restoration is a continuous process. Recent efforts include refreshing James Turrell’s Knight Rise and replacing the lights of Curtis Pittman’s Diamond Bloom.

Scottsdale Public Art refreshes James Turrell’s Knight Rise Skyspace at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA). Photo: Scottsdale Arts.

The harsh Arizona sun plays a large part in restoration needs; Robert Indiana’s LOVE must be repainted annually. And the glass and grates of Bob Adams’s Copper Falls must be cleaned once a year to keep it free of dirt and rapid algae growth. During the summer, the water is turned off to prevent clogs in the pumps of the waterfall.

Yazmin Acosta, an intern for Scottsdale Public Art, photographs Untitled (A Mountain Tempe) by Andy Villareal. Photo: Scottsdale Arts.

The city’s Municipal Art Collection, also known as the Scottsdale Public Art Portable Works Collection, consists of more than 1,000 pieces. The collection dates to 1968 and comprises mostly 2D artworks. The rotating artwork is on display in city offices and is occasionally shown in exhibitions at the Civic Center Public Gallery, with 60 to 75 percent of the collection rotating out of the vault.

The Designed to Move: Seeds that Float, Fly or Hitchhike Through the Desert Southwest is on view at the Civic Center Public Gallery through Sept. 30, 2022. Photo: Scottsdale Arts.

Exhibitions at the Civic Center Library tell stories of our past and relay our hopes of the future through local perspectives. Past Exhibitions at Civic Center Library include FIRST: Native American Artists of Arizona, Pictures Tell Stories: Children’s Book Illustrations, and WEST—Arizona Artists of Color. The current exhibition, Designed to Move: Seeds that Float, Fly or Hitchhike Through the Desert Southwest, is on display until September 30. We’ll see you there!

Stay tuned for part three of this blog series to learn more about public art in Scottsdale.

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