By News Staff
8/1/24
A sculptural installation showcasing the elements of the ocean is underway at the corner of Beach Boulevard and 2nd Street South in Jacksonville Beach.
Created by artist Xavier Cortada of South Florida, it was commissioned by the city’s Community Redevelopment Agency and City Council.
The installation features a series of concrete columns of hand-crafted ceramic tiles cantered on the city’s proximity to the Atlantic Beach while also elevating the beauty and significance of water within the coastal ecosystem. Cortada and members of his studio team plan to complete the installation on Friday.
“Water Columns” features a collection of columns installed at varying heights from three feet to nine feet arranged in the form of a spiral. Each 32″ x 18″ water column is hand-carved, hand-painted ceramic tile, and framed in a glass mosaic.
Seven different glass mosaic patterns will frame each of the seven water columns to create a gradient of blue hues to reflect the various tidal zones emanating from the water’s edge.
By incorporating elements inspired by the beach’s natural beauty, such as waves, and marine life, the artwork will pay tribute to the main attraction of the area. Framed in mosaic, the vibrant ceramic tiles, with their intricate designs and coastal colour palette, will further evoke a sense of place.
“He hopes to really capture the essence of Jacksonville Beach,” said CRA Director Taylor Mobbs last April following the CRA decision.
According to Cortada, the installation will help raise environmental awareness and serve as a reminder of the vital importance of preserving and protecting the natural resources unique to Jacksonville Beach. Through its design, symbolism and possible interactive elements, the installation serves as a reminder of the importance of preserving the coastal ecosystem and fosters a sense of responsibility toward the environment.
The celebrated Miami artist was selected by the city’s Public Arts Committee to create a piece that will serve as the gateway into Jacksonville Beach. The committee reviewed over 80 applications from artists vying to create a piece with seven invited to complete a staff interview. After narrowing the finalists to the top three, the committee unanimously voted in favor of Cortada.
Cortada is a professor of art at the University of Miami. Over the past three decades, the Cuban-American artist has created art across six continents, including more than 150 public artworks, installations, collaborative murals and socially engaged projects. Cortada has been commissioned to create art for CERN, the White House, the Port Everglades and Miami City Hall, among many other art, science and government venues.
Cortada pioneered eco-art in Miami-Dade County and is the only artist to create work at the North and South Poles.
His community-driven art has catalysed more than 25 acres of ecological restoration, generated participatory eco-art projects in every Miami-Dade County public school and library, and celebrated scientific breakthroughs such as the discovery of the “God particle” at CERN.
The cost of the sculpture is $150,000 which was included in the FY2024 Art Master Plan capital improvement project budget.
See original article at https://www.beachesleader.com/news/sculpture-being-installed-jacksonville-beach