2013; stainless steel, aluminum, cast concrete, lighting, landscaping; 28’H x 42’W x 28.5’D; Sharon Sayles Belton Bridge Plaza; 16th Street and Third Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Commissioned by the City of Minneapolis Art in Public Places Program.
Beacon is a tribute to former Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton, first female and African American mayor for the City of Minneapolis. Constructed in a metal warp and weft matrix, the sculpture is a metaphor for community. The structure and the woven pieces together symbolize the interrelationship of city’s framework and people that form the fabric of a vibrant city. Excerpts from her 1997 State of the City Address are inscribed on the back wall. They include:
Where does our pride spring from?
What gifts will we bestow on our children and our children’s children?
What are the values and virtues that we will honor?
What legacy will we leave?
© Janet Lofquist