[Source: Stephanie Dembowski, Special for the Republic] — “Her secret is patience” is the title of the unfinished art piece suspended in the air across the street from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication/PBS Eight building on Central and Taylor downtown. The artist, Janet Echelman, spoke to students and guests about the piece as a part of the Journalism “Cronkite Week” last week alongside Paul Deeb, who designed the 78-foot light sculpture in the school’s stairwell.
“Patience” is actually no secret at all, as the $2.4 million project started in spring of 2007 and has seen little activity in recent months. Echleman said she was “asked not to speak about the piece until it was unveiled.” She said that could be as soon as January. The 100-foot-wide, 100-foot-tall Sky Bloom sparked both praise and curiosity when the Phoenix City Council approved the public art for the Downtown Civic Space Park. Three steel towers and two steel rings will support the sculpture. But the sculpture’s netting, designed to resemble a saguaro flower, has yet to be installed. And for observers — pro and con — the netting is what generated the hoopla in the first place. Some said it looked like a jellyfish; some, like a mushroom. [Note: To read the full article, click here.]
Downtown Voices Coalition 