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Learn more about the Billboard Art Project, additions to the City’s public art collection and more: Read Now

City Receives Eastman Sculpture for Union Plaza

Installation begins Thursday, June 4, 2020

The City Parks and Recreation Department today announced the gift of an outdoor sculpture to be placed in Union Plaza, at the southeast corner of the 21st and “P” streets intersection. “Nautilus” is a large steel abstract sculpture by the late Rico Eastman. Installation of the sculpture will begin at about 8 a.m. Thursday, June 4.

The sculpture was donated to the City of Lincoln public art collection by Jane Rohman in memory of her late husband Carl “Ky” Rohman.

“The placement of this piece in Union Plaza will further enhance the design intent of the park and plaza,” said Lynn Johnson, Parks and Recreation Director. “Nautilus is a perfect fit in this park, which integrates water into the design details of bollards, planters, pavement patterns, and public art that evoke the feeling of water droplets, splashes, and ripples.”

Nautilus, created by Eastman in 2002, mimics the spiral structure of the nautilus shell. Eastman served as the acting Head of the Sculpture Program at California State University – Fullerton from 2006 to 2012. He died in 2012 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The Public Art Master Plan and additional information on the city’s public art collection are available at lincoln.ne.gov (keyword: public art).

Audubon Nebraska published this fun article about birds featured in the artwork selected for the Billboard Art Project. Read now.

Enjoy this May 25, 2020 article: Art for Hope’s Sake, the Lincoln Billboard Art Project is on its way by Cindy Lange-Kubick

Public Art Lincoln director, Deb Arenz, chatted with Friday Live host Genevieve Randall about the Billboard Art Project. Listen in at 23:45: http://netnebraska.org/interactive-multimedia/other/friday-live-carrick-blixt-jackie-allen-hans-sturm-billboards-more

Ten Lincoln artists have been selected to receive a $1,000 stipend and have their artwork presented on a billboard within the City of Lincoln as part Public Art Lincoln’s Billboard Art Project.

Forty-two artwork submissions were received by Lincoln artists and ten works were selected for billboard presentation. Submissions were open to individual artists over the age of 18 living or working in Lincoln, Nebraska. Selection preference was given to artists whose primary sources of income have been immediately impacted by the pandemic and its economic repercussions. Additional criteria included the artwork’s ability to unite, support, and inspire the community, its suitability to the billboard format, and its creative use of imagery and text.

According to Public Art Lincoln Director, Deb Arenz, “The project review committee was thrilled with the response to the request for submissions for the Billboard Art Project. Committee members were impressed by the quality of the work submitted and the attention paid to the project goal of supporting and inspiring the community.  Everyone involved with the project looks forward to seeing the creative visions of these artists on billboards through the City and we thank our sponsors for helping make it possible.”

The Lincoln Billboard Art Project, generously supported by The Sherwood Foundation, the Lincoln Community Foundation, and Lamar Advertising, aims to unite, support, inspire, and bring joy and healing to our community through public art while providing financial support to local artists during the pandemic.

Artwork will begin to be placed on billboards around May 27 and each work will remain up for at least four weeks. A list of billboard locations and artwork installation dates will be available soon. All artwork submitted for the project will be featured on the Public Art Lincoln website: lincolnpublicart.org

View the art here.

January 14, 2019

Exciting news for 2020! Two works currently in the City’s public art collection are being moved to new, more accessible, locations. Thanks to the City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department for their care of our public art collection.

Dementia (pictured above), on loan to the City from the estate of artist Charles Ginniver has been moved from its former location at Holmes Lake to the north side of Woods Park along O Street. Drive by and enjoy.

Bountiful Prairie (pictured above) will be relocated from its current location along the Bison Trail, east of Pioneers Park, along West Van Dorn to the new roundabout at Van Dorn and Coddington Avenue. More information on the relocation of this artwork will follow.

January 14, 2020

The bronze statue, Kneeling Figure, by Bruno Lucchesi, was installed in the upper level of the Sunken Gardens in December. Lucchesi also created Pieta which is part of the Sheldon Museum of Art Sculpture Garden on the UNL campus. Kneeling Figure was donated to the City by Fred Southwick, son of orthopedic surgeon and artist Wayne Southwick, who also created the sculpture Reveille and gifted it to the city. Wayne Southwick studied under Lucchesi and Kneeling Figure was part of the family’s collection until her recent relocation to Lincoln. Many thanks to Fred and the entire Southwick family for their generous donations to Lincoln’s public art collection. Learn more about Bruno Lucchesi and his long and accomplished career through his website.

Learn more about public art happenings in Lincoln: Read More

November 14, 2019

While you’re driving to or from Trago Park to check out Tilted Donut #7, why not stop by the Antelope Park parking lot off of 27th Street to view Bop & Crazed, two sculptures by the late artist Charles Ginniver on loan to the City of Lincoln. Bop & Crazed were installed in 2018. More information about the loan can be found in this Lincoln Journal Star article.