Another Successful Public Art Installation

Okay, so this time I didn't have the heartache, the worries, the involvement, the creativity or the responsibilities like I did with the Broward Light Project event, but as of two weeks ago, I was plunged into the heart of the dedication ceremony for the ArtsPark at Young Circle . . . along with two other staff members of the Broward Cultural Division. And, last night, we sat back and watched the event unfold in perfect harmony.

Two weeks ago Steve Glassman, Claire Garrett and I realized that the City of Hollywood was leaving the County out of the information loop. We weren't included in their press release proofing, we didn't know if our public artist -- who was commissioned with two-percent of the construction budget for the ArtsPark -- to work in tandam with the architect for this project, wouldn't be properly recognized. So we contacted the city staff, met with them and were thrust into the heart of the planning process.

The past two weeks were spent on countless calls and emails back and forth to assist in the coordination of communication. No complaints here, just facts.

The excitement was building, the informational emails were flying from the City and we forwarded them on to our lists. We sent out emails about Ritsuko Taho, the public artist from Japan who was commissioned to create a spectacular water sculpture called Millennium Springs that shoots plumes of water 20 feet into the air and moves in a pattern that was measured from the biorhythm of the Baobab tree in the park. She also created a Dreamwave-- also known as the "Tree of Life," and is considered to be a sacred tree and an inspiration for mythology and legend in West Africa and other regions of the world where it grows -- is a ceremonial rope that will be changed annually. And finally, an e-sculpture which consists of various webcams sprinkled throughout the park so that if you can't visit the park as often as you like, you can click onto your computer and take a peek everyone now and then, or perhaps make it your home page so that you can always visit.

The entire concept is unique and exciting. Something completely different than the Broward Cultural Division's Public Art and Design Program has done yet.

The evening began with a private reception at a restaurant adajant to the park. The glasses were clinking, the spirits were lifted, smiles were flashed. At around 6 p.m. we left the reception, were handed a complimentary blanket and we walked across the street into the circle. There were crowds of people entering the park. There was "Britto Central" set up in a tent selling original Romero Britto merchandise. Oh, did I mention that Romero Britto was at the event too??

There were musicians sprinkled here and there throughout the park playing various types of music. There were "living sculptures" standing frozen in the white toga-like costumes with their pasty-white makeup and moving just a fraction so that you realized that they weren't sculptures!

After checking in at a tent and receiving a huge ArtsPark button and a bottle of water and we were pointed over to the VIP area that had been "roped" off with red ribbons. There in the third row sat Joel and Adina, my sweet family had saved me a chair! Rachel was home not feeling too well.

Steve and Rande sat behind me. Claire sat on the other side of the audience so that she was closer to the Baobab tree because at the appropriate time she was going over to the tree to stand in front of the webcam to wave at Ritsuko, who couldn't be here because she was in Japan! But thanks to her e-sculpture she was able to be part of the ceremony.

The evening began with an acappella group singing and making sounds like guitars and drums. They were very good, but too long. Spero Canton, was the MC (I remember him from years ago when Joel worked at ON TV and he was at BellSouth). Commissioner Sue Gunzburger was next. Since Mayor Eggelletion couldn't attend, she spoke for both of them. Samantha wrote both speeches. The commissioner used both and added a bit of her own flair. She even had the Broward Cultural Council and Division members stand and she recognized each and every one of us. Okay, so she called Steve -- Steve Greenburger when she should have said Steve Glassman, but she corrected herself before she sat down. That was very personable of her.

The evening went on and on, each and every city commissioner came up to the podium and spoke, including the city manager, Cameron Benson -- who I remember as a kid fresh out of college coming into our office to visit Cathy Zaden back in the 1980s! Finally Margi Nothard, the lead architect, spoke and gave a "walking tour" of the park and artwork and a two-minute video was shown which featured the mayor of Hollywood and our public artist Ritsuko Taho.

The fountain was lit with lots of pomp and circumstance -- music and lasers, oohs and aaahs were heard from the crowd. The crowd was allowed to experience the movements of the water sculpture and watch the changing lights and were even sprinkled with droplets thanks to the very heavy gusts of wind that blew them in various directions.

Then we were asked to walk toward the Romero Britto sculpture which was wrapped in a very colorful parachute material. A firefighter was lowered from a lift truck -- way up in the air -- to hook onto the parachute material and then lifted back up very slowly to reveal the butterfly-shaped sculpture that Romero Britto donated to the City of Hollywood.

It was a dramatic moment.

A deep sigh. It was over. It was a beautiful evening. And -- this is only phase one!! There will be two more phases as this was only the dedication of the opening of the park itself and the artwork. Next will be the actual building of the facilities within the park which includes a cultural center where hands-on arts activities will take place, art exhibits, performances and more!

So, there is more to come . . . stand by!