[Connie Cone Sexton, Arizona Republic] — Sky Bloom, the much-debated public art piece taking shape in a downtown Phoenix park, is about to get its final installment: more than 600 pounds of netting that will be affixed to the two blue steel rings already in place. It’s just what the sculpture’s naysayers and fans have been waiting for. When it was first approved by the Phoenix City Council in late 2007, its size, design, and $2.4 million price tag became a hot topic. Some argued it was a waste of money; others said it gave Phoenix a cultural boost and gave jobs to Arizonans, including a Tucson engineering firm, to help create the piece.
The giant rings, erected in June, are the hub of what will be a 100-foot-tall, 100-foot-wide floating net sculpture. It was designed by Boston artist Janet Echelman with a goal to be the focal point of the 2.7-acre park being developed between Central and First avenues, and Van Buren and Fillmore streets.
The polyester netting is being braided by a company in Washington state. “The fabric is variegated, to give the appearance of various shades of blue,” said John Neal, vice president of Diamond Nets Inc. He said they will be finished within a few weeks. City officials will coordinate with the ongoing development of the park on the right time to attach the net but estimate it will happen before early March, possibly in February. [Note: To view the full article, click here. To view a 24/7 webcam of Civic Space construction, click here.]
Downtown Voices Coalition 