print

Fire Station No. 7 Percent for Art

Artist Jane Mudd has submitted a design concept for art for Columbia's Fire Station No. 7. Mudd was selected this past spring by the city's Standing Committee on Public Art and Commission on Cultural Affairs for the project after a search for artists in the central Missouri area.

Public comment is an important aspect of this phase of the project. Before the approval process begins on Mudd's design, we want to gather input on it. Please read her description and look at the images provided, then complete our online comment card. Input received by October 9 will be provided to both the Standing Committee on Public Art and the Commission on Cultural Affairs for review before they take any action on Mudd's proposal.

Artist's Statement & Proposal Description

In Gratitude: “For Fire Station No. 7, I propose a bronze relief to be mounted on a masonry wall directly in front of the new building, about 15 feet from the corner of Green Meadows and Green Meadows Circle. Informal seating will accompany the wall so to create a space for passers-by to sit and study the work or simply rest. Currently, I am using In Gratitude as the title for the work.

The gratitude theme came about while I was gathering information from folks in and around Columbia on possible ideas to pursue. I truly enjoyed listening to the vast array of people's thoughts, experiences and feelings on this project. As a result, I wanted my sculpture to reflect this interaction in some way. Though ‘community’ and ‘service’ seemed to be the most popular themes mentioned, I was most impressed with the enthusiasm people evoked when I asked for their input. Surely this kind of collective attitude comes from a sense of being thankful.

I knew, too, that I wanted to incorporate figures into the project in some fashion and so the idea of a grateful community evolved. The 'imagined' characters in the crowd that will be sculpted into the bronze relief will represent a cross section of Columbia’s diversity for which it is so well known. The background scenarios invite the viewer to take a closer look at the focus of this communal gratitude -- in this case it is a short historical narrative of the Columbia Fire Department’s service to the community. The foreground figures will be rendered in a semi-deep relief with the figures and scenes toward the back in shallow relief. Underneath will be a small title plaque with the words ‘In Gratitude’ in shallow relief. I am considering adding a short poem on the theme of thankfulness which would be part of the title plaque. The final patina for both bronzes will be light brown. Natural sun light will define the lights and shadows which in turn will enhance the spatial illusion.

The main bronze relief will be 32 by 15 inches. The wall on which it will be installed will be approximately five feet tall, made with materials to match the block and brick construction of the Station and capped with limestone. Overall dimensions of the wall will be 40 inches wide by 16 inches deep by 60 inches high. Two large rectangular lime stones will compliment the wall on each side. A smaller stonewill sit directly in front, and against, the wall. Several other large stones will be placed around the nearby rain garden that is part of the overall landscaping plan of the Station. That placement will act as a visual connection between my work and the rest of the site and help unify the area.

The nature of the sculpture and seating should invite people to visit the site as they walk or ride by, and perhaps spend time there not only taking in the detail of the relief but the beauty of the grounds as well. Hopefully the space will also re-inspire an appreciation for the many riches we have in this community.”
-Jane Mudd, September 2008

Draft Images of Proposal

Click Here To See Additional Drawings By The Artist

Public Comment

Public comment is an important part of this process. If you have reviewed the design proposal, your input on it is welcomed, especially if you are a Columbia resident. Constructive feedback related to the project received by October 9 will be provided to the city's Standing Committee on Public Art when they meet next to discuss this project. Select either link below to access an electronic comment card. One comment per computer user may be submitted.

Click Here for a Comment Card

What about the budget?

Percent for Art project budgets are part of the overall construction project. The money set aside for art is done so just like any other aspect of the project. As such, it is not an additional expenditure above and beyond the already set project budget and cannot be used on anything unrelated. And Percent for Art budgets are always kept to just 1% of the overall project. That 1% is not just for the contract with the artist. It includes an automatic set-aside to establish a maintenance fund for future care of the art.

Art in public buildings is not a new concept. The best example in Missouri is the state Capitol building in Jefferson City. With more than $1 million spent on art, both inside and out, when the structure was built (it was dedicated in 1924), some of the leading artists of the time were commissioned to create paintings and sculpture for the site. Today, Missouri's Capitol building remains one of the most architectually significant in the nation.

Why public art?

In Columbia, Percent for Art was established not just for "art's sake." The program is defined as one that aims to "significantly enhance the public environment of the city...further enhance the civic pride of the people of Columbia...promote economic development...improve and expand the value and use of public buildings...[and] enrich the lives of Columbians." In many ways, public art is the most accessible of art forms because it is out in the every day environment, is open year round and does not charge an admission fee. As one of just two cities in Missouri to have Percent for Art (Kansas City is the other one), this program is one that makes Columbia truly unique.