The Public Art League is pleased to announce the purchase of Beacon, a sculpture designed and created by local artist Michael Collins (Homer, IL). The piece is installed in the roundabout area at Chestnut and Main Streets in downtown Champaign (its home since 2016). The ownership of The Old Depot, home to Black Dog Smoke & Ale House, donated to the Public Art League to make it possible for us to purchase the piece.
Beacon is constructed of steel, aluminum and black locust wood. The piece contains LED lighting and the sculpture illuminates when the street lights turn on at night.
Of Beacon, the artist states: "Beacon is a work that brings together a history of architectural references, geometric patterns, and a broad range of materials as a sort of architectural streetlight, or a minature 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 the wood, contrasted in the nighttime by the inner glow from diffused lighting, the silhouetted geometric patterns, and the 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."
Thank you to the owners of The Old Depot for making the purchase of Beacon possible! Please visit and enjoy Beacon, day or night, in downtown Champaign.
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