Client: Capital Development Board of Illinois Art-In-Architecture Program

Location: Decatur, IL, United States

Completion date: 2018

Artwork budget: $18,000

Project Team

Public Art Agent

Capital Development Board of Illinois

Capital Development Board of Illinois Art-In-Architecture Program

Industry Resource

Bruce Maxey

BLDD (Because Life Deserves Design) Architects

Art Consultant

Bryan Schuetze, Space Haus

Space Haus

Client

Greg Florian

VP Finance and Administration, Richland Community College

Artist

Nicole Beck

Nicole Beck Sculptor

Overview

Site-specific 107' aerial installation of lenticular thermoplastic polycarbonate and aluminum echoing the eddies of the nearby Sangamon River for Richland Community College.

Goals

Consists of helical spirals that unfurl with translucent color bringing vibrant energy to a monotone and cavernous corridor.  The spaciousness of the atrium draws our attention upward where we discover radiating curves that swirl and flow. Fluid dynamics is used as a metaphor of a river to echo our movement through architecture, college and life experiences. It is a celebration of the Sangamon River that serves as a way finder for students and visitors through the Richland Community College Student Success Center. The horizontal aspect, color fusion and dynamic arcs represent Richland’s diverse student population and their interconnected studies. It creates a flow drawing students and visitors into the nexus of vital services that are offered within the Richland Student Success Center.

Process

This project was created specifically for the college, its students and community, and in lieu of the surrounding geography. The college was a close partner in the installation process which took one week of assembly and aerial installation.