The City of Dubuque, Iowa, announces the selection of 10 works of outdoor sculpture for the 2015 Art on the River Exhibition. In its tenth year, there were 30 entries from 17 artists.
The works will be installed in front of the Grand River Center and along the Mississippi Riverwalk at the Port of Dubuque. The 2015 Art on the River Exhibition will be installed in June 2015, with the date for the opening event scheduled for Thursday, June 18, 2015, at 5-7 p.m. at the Grand River Center. The event is free and open to the public.
The following sculptures were chosen for this highly competitive exhibit through a blind judging process:
• Winter Moon, by Ray Katz, Pontiac, Michigan is metal sculpture that combines geometric and organic elements to create compositions that convey the implied energy found in the work.
• Victoria, by Chris Wubbena, Jackson Missouri, is a steel sculpture that gives the impression of a lost triumphant past.
• Green Piece, by Nathan Pierce, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, is a metal sculpture that explores the idea of communication.
• Quill by Dan Perry, Waterloo, Iowa, is a metal sculpture that explores the power of messages and the effort needed to see them through.
• Coalesce, by Kevin Casey, Cedar Falls, Iowa is a stainless steel sculpture that focuses on the dynamics and materials of the sculpture itself.
• Onward and Upward, by Jeremy Rudd, Dyersville, Iowa, is a wood and metal sculpture that represents a metaphorical landscape where the man-made and natural worlds meet.
• Willow Dust, by Stephanie Sailer, Swisher, Iowa, is a metal sculpture is based on a grain of pollen from the Goat Willow tree.
• Mines of Spain, by Tim Adams, Webster City, Iowa, is a limestone and steel sculpture that symbolizes the geology of Dubuuqe.
• Metamorphosis, by Jacob McGinn, Waterloo, Iowa is metal sculpture that explores the idea of a man facing survival after he runs away from home.
• Always the Horrors of War #2, by Margaret Mear, Dubuque, IA, is a bronze and steel sculpture that explores the horrible act of war and our human compassion and understanding.
Art on the River is part of the Dubuque City Council’s Arts and Culture initiative. Working in conjunction with the Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission, the Dubuque Museum of Art and a volunteer committee made up of artists, educators and city staff, the City has identified highly visible locations at the Port of Dubuque to display selected artwork. The Port of Dubuque is a 90-acre riverfront campus which features the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, Grand River Center conference center, Grand Harbor Resort and Water Park, Diamond Jo Casino, Port of Dubuque Marina, historic Dubuque Star Brewery, and Dubuque Shot Tower.
A panel of three credentialed jurors reviews the artist applications and makes a recommendation to the commission and the city council on the selection of artwork. Jurors for the 2015-2016 exhibit were:
• Concetta Morales, is an artist living in Des Moines, IA. She received her BS from Skidmore College and MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
• Connie Twining is the Co-owner of Outside the Lines Art Gallery, located in Cable Car Square in Downtown Dubuque and in Historic Galena, Il..
• Martin Arthur, is the Cultural Programs Supervisor for the City of Cedar Falls and the Director for the Hearst Center for the Arts.
The 2015-2016 Art on the River Exhibit, consisting of 10 works of sculpture, will be on exhibit through June 30, 2016. All of the sculptures are for sale and can be installed in both indoor and outdoor areas. The exhibit is free, can be viewed sunrise to sunset year-round, and is accessible. To vote for your favorite, go to www.cityofdubuque.org/artontheriver2014. For additional information, please contact Megan Starr at mstarr@cityofdubuque.org or call 563-589-4393