Providence, RI – New public art, which adorns the Interlink Parking Garage on Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick, provides a new identity to the Warwick Interlink Parking Garage, Governor Lincoln D. Chafee, Warwick's Mayor Scott Avedisian and the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) announced today.
Entitled All Together Now, the art installation stands 60-feet tall by 260-feet long and is located in Warwick at 700 Jefferson Boulevard (also the Warwick Train Station). It is made of multicolor, illuminated metal tubes placed on the garage's façade.
"By featuring public art, we continue to strengthen and improve City Centre Warwick, which is one of the state's key infrastructure and transit-oriented developments," Governor Chafee said. "Art plays a significant role in our effort to revitalize and redefine the many acres of land surrounding T.F. Green Airport. I also want to commend the hard work of RISCA and the panel for choosing this special piece to be featured in Rhode Island."
"All Together Now gives the InterLink an identity, and one that is easily recognizable to residents and visitors to Rhode Island," Mayor Avedisian said. "It will help to create the sense of place that we envision for City Centre Warwick and will reflect the vibrancy and unique qualities that the neighborhood will have as re-development efforts continue. The state Council on the Arts, Airport Corporation and the Department of Transportation are to be commended for ensuring that public art remains a focus in revitalization efforts throughout the state."
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts commissioned the work under the percent for art program, partnering with the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) and the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT). The artists were selected through a national competition by an art-selection panel. More than 125 applications were submitted, and artists Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt of Miami received the honor.
"The All Together Now installation is a perfect example of how transportation infrastructure can be used to highlight our state's commitment to the arts, and we were pleased to be a partner in this project," RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis said. "Whether it is a mural along the highway or a welcome sign inviting visitors to 'Discover Beautiful Rhode Island,' it is important to invest in projects that help give the state a unique sense of place and foster a sense of pride in our community."
"Art is an integral part of our construction, whether at the terminal building, our parking garages, general aviation airports or here at the InterLink. The work All Together Now adds dimension and light to the InterLink with its concrete structure, providing a focal point for people to appreciate and enjoy while still remaining functional for travelers," said Kelly Fredericks, President & CEO, RIAC. "This is yet another example of our strong partnership with the Rhode Island State Council of the Arts. RISCA has done a tremendous job for the Rhode Island Airport Corporation over many years--soliciting and selecting artwork in accordance with the 1% for Arts Legislation."
The panelists said that they were interested in a piece that was principally three dimensional. Additionally, they noted that this piece focused on responsiveness to the community.
"The State Arts Council was happy to partner with the Airport Corporation and the Department of Transportation on this public art project," said Randall Rosenbaum, Executive Director of RISCA. "We're very pleased that this new work of art has already begun to develop a unique sense of place in this area of great development in Warwick."
Members of the selection committee included:
• JoAnn Conklin, Director of the David Winton Bell Gallery at Brown University
• Ellen Driscoll, Artist and Professor of Sculpture at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
• Lillian Hsu, Artist and Director of Public Art for Cambridge Arts
• Melissa Long, Administrator for Policy & Governmental Affairs, RIDOT
• Michael Pearce, then Regional Director – Architecture at Jacobs Engineering Group
• Margaret E. Ryan, Landscape Project Coordinator, City of Warwick Planning Department
• Sharon Traficante, then Manager at Executive Support Services of RIAC
For more information, please call Randall Rosenbaum, RISCA's Executive Director, 401-222-3883, email him at Randall.Rosenbaum@arts.ri.gov, or visit http://www.arts.ri.gov.
The Rhode Island Airport Corporation operates T.F. Green Airport and the five general aviation airports in Rhode Island. A long-time supporter of public art in Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation has worked with the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts on a number of public art commissions for T. F. Green Airport.
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation designs, constructs, and maintains the state's surface transportation system. With a staff of more than 700 transportation professionals, RIDOT serves as the steward of a statewide multimodal transportation network, consisting of 3,300 lane miles of roadway, 1,154 bridges, five rail stations, and more than 60 miles of bike and pedestrian paths.
The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts is a state agency supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders.