Public Art Chattanooga (PAC) and the Community Association of Historic St. Elmo this week dedicated a new public sculpture created specifically for the St. Elmo neighborhood.
Selected by the community from a national juried art competition administered by PAC, the sculpture represents the history, diversity, and spirit of this historic part of Chattanooga. The sculpture is made of painted steel and consists of a 14 foot diameter circle. On the periphery of the sculpture stand approximately 34 figures, each represents an important event or person in St. Elmo’s history, from Dragging Canoe, to the Civil War, to Chattem, to a homage to the neighborhood’s annual Corgi Parade.
Rebekah Marr, past president of the neighborhood association, said, “The sculpture is the result of the hard work, dedication, and support of many people in the St. Elmo community over several years. We are extremely excited to finally have the sculpture installed, and that it so perfectly represents the history, creativity, and sense of community of our neighborhood.”
Chosen from over 30 proposals from across the United States, North Carolina artist, Charles Pilkey said, “’St. Elmo’ is inspired by the rich historical heritage of the area at the foot of Lookout Mountain. Prior to construction of the sculpture, I met with residents of St. Elmo to offer input into the design and subject matter of the work. My hope is that ‘St. Elmo’ will become an iconic landmark, an educational tool, and a popular meeting place for St. Elmo residents and their visitors.”
The project was organized by the City of Chattanooga’s public art program, Public Art Chattanooga (PAC), and the Community Association of Historic St. Elmo. Funding was made possible through an Art in the Neighborhoods grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation, the Community Association of Historic St. Elmo, and numerous private individuals and businesses in the neighborhood.
Housed in the department of Economic and Community Development, Public Art Chattanooga manages a collection of over 100 permanent and 20 temporary works of art that are placed throughout the city. These collections and programs are supported by city funds and significant funds from private sources.
Source: Public Art Chattanooga