Public Art - Art on City Plaza

Raleigh Arts Commission

Raleigh's City Plaza was officially unveiled in October 2009, with public art an integral part of its vision. On display from September 2010 through August 2011 are sculptures from three artists selected for the Art on City Plaza temporary outdoor exhibit.

The artworks are installed on three centerpiece pedestals in City Plaza, located in the 500 block of Fayetteville Street. Art on City Plaza is sponsored by the City of Raleigh Arts Commission in partnership with Visual Art Exchange and Artspace.

Art on City Plaza 2011 will unveil on Saturday, Sept. 17 as part of the downtown SPARKcon arts and creativity festival. The selected sculptors are Robert Coon of Vero Beach, F.L.; Deborah Marucci of Venice, F.L.; and Adam Walls of Laurinburg, N.C. Applications were received from artists in North Carolina and select states in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and were reviewed by a panel of representatives from Artspace, Visual Art Exchange and the Arts Commission.

The three works of art selected vary in style, materials and size.

Mr. Coon's 15-foot sculpture "My Big Red" is made of fabricated and painted aluminum. He says, "My sculpture is conceived, 'seen' by me, as shapes, textures and colors, that is, arrangements of these elements in a three-dimensional form."

Mr. Coon's work has been exhibited in numerous outdoor sculpture exhibitions in North Carolina and nationally since 1990. He is represented in private and museum collections including the Cincinnati Art Museum, O.H.; the Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, N.C.; and the J.B. Speed Museum, Louisville, K.Y.

Ms. Marucci's kinetic sculpture "Spiral Orb" is made of powder-coated steel and aluminum and stands 10 feet high. The sculpture was selected "Best in Show" at Jupiter, Florida's 2009 weekend art exhibit, "Arti Gras." A painter as well as a sculptor, her work is inspired by her personal journeys, observations of daily life, and the colors and textures of nature. Recently, in celebration of the beauty and fragility of the Southeastern environment, she has incorporated botanical and wildlife imagery into her work.

Ms. Marucci received a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art from Youngstown State University, Ohio. Her artwork is in public and private collections throughout the world. An acclaimed artist and sculptor, she has been recognized with several awards and published articles. She has mentored up-and-coming artists in private and collaborative community projects and is an advocate of arts education.

Mr. Walls' sculpture, "Balancing Act," is made of brightly painted steel and is over 12 feet tall. "My sculptures are concept-driven and highly viewer-interactive," said Mr. Walls. "My concepts are usually derived from some memory that was stirred by the shape of some found object, or from some memento that I have held on to since childhood. These things bring up thoughts and experiences that challenge me and guide me through the creative process."

Mr. Walls was a featured artist in the Art on City Plaza 2010 exhibit. He received his M.F.A. in sculpture from Winthrop University, Rock Hill, S.C. He is currently a sculpture professor at UNC-Pembroke, N.C. He has participated in many nationally juried exhibitions, and most recently was commissioned by the Robeson County, N.C. Public School System for an outdoor public sculpture.

To learn more, please see links to the right.

Photos courtesy of Kim Curry-Evans

Art on City Plaza 2011-12 Artists Announced
Artist Call - Art on City Plaza 2011
Art on City Plaza Pedestal Locations
Art on City Plaza 2009-10 Brochure