"Beacon"
By Michael Collins (Homer, IL)
The Public Art League proudly welcomes "Beacon" by local artist Michael Collins to Downtown Champaign. The sculpture is installed by the roundabout at Main and Chestnut Streets near the "Old Depot" (which houses Black Dog Barbecue). Lights within "Beacon" illuminate at night. The owners of the Old Depot also plan to add landscaping around the sculpture. "Beacon" is constructed of steel, aluminum and black locust wood and stands over 8' tall.
The artist states that "Beacon" is a work that brings together a history of architectural references, geometric patterns, and a broad range of materials together as a sort of architectural streetlight, or miniature urban lighthouse. This piece serves to perform as a focal point for people to meet at, have a conversation around, or to simply enjoy its form, anchoring its location as a point of reference. There is a duality that exists between the range of visual texture seen in the daytime, from the reflectivity of the faceted aluminum panels, to the natural tones of wood, contrasted in the nighttime by the inner glow from diffused lighting, the silhouetted geometric patterns, and cast shadows around its base. Besides being a focal point in the daylight, I wanted this work to charge the evening time and activate a space with a mellow glow, akin to a chiminea.
A big thank you to "The Old Depot" for their site sponsorship of this piece!
Artist Michael Collins
installing "Beacon"
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