Where art and community meet
Where art and community meet
Celebrating its fifth year anniversary in the summer of 2018, the Centennial Sculpture Park at the Memorial Art Gallery represents a new kind of “town square”—a spectacular, inclusive gathering spot located in the heart of the Neighborhood of the Arts, which is a destination for Rochesterians and visitors alike. By creating the park, the museum transformed 10 acres of its grounds into a showcase of public art in an urban space.
Four major artists were commissioned to create site-specific work for the Centennial Sculpture Park. Explore these works of art below:
Albert Paley: Soliloquy
Albert Paley is internationally known for his ability to manipulate cold, hard metal into organic, seemingly impossible forms. A monumental commission, Paley’s Soliloquy is a colorful, 25-foot stainless steel sculpture that greets guests at the museum’s Goodman Street entrance.
To view this 360 degree photo, place, hold, and drag your cursor in the center of the photo or go to the box in the bottom right of the photo and click the “play” icon or on the arrows.
Tom Otterness: Creation Myth
Known for his engaging installations, Tom Otterness’s Creation Myth tells the story of an artist attempting to bring a work of art to life. Situated at the corner of Goodman Street and University Avenue, the installation is marked by two heroic figures and includes an additional 17 diminutive bronze muses scattered throughout the park.
To view this 360 degree photo, place, hold, and drag your cursor in the center of the photo or go to the box in the bottom right of the photo and click the “play” icon or on the arrows.
Jackie Ferrara: Marking Crossways
Jackie Ferrara describes what she does as “creating places.” For the museum, she designed Marking Crossways, geometric pathways and cameos (square mosaics) leading from the “quarry” area to the front entrance of museum. There, a grid of granite pavers frame brick bands that spell out “Memorial Art Gallery” and “University of Rochester” in Morse code.
Wendell Castle: Unicorn Family
Internationally known not only as a sculptor but as the “father of the art furniture movement,” Wendell Castle created the Unicorn Family, which provides an outdoor “gathering area” that is part sculpture, part living room. Twenty-two feet in diameter, the installation includes a cast iron table, three chairs, and a 13-foot working LED lamp on a circular carpet of bricks.
Sharing art with our community
For five years, the Memorial Art Gallery’s Centennial Sculpture Park has been a place for the public to interact with art. To learn more about how you can support the museum, contact Joseph Carney, Senior Director of Major Gifts, at (585) 276-8941.
—Meghan Goff, June 2018
