The Alaska Arts Confluence has accepted seven additional artist proposals for the Fort Seward Historic District Sculpture Garden.
The confluence initially accepted proposals from 10 artists to populate a “sculpture garden” in the ruins of a Fort Seward barracks building. The pieces range from mosaics and found art assemblage pieces to interpretive maps and murals.
The new proposals are from Rob Goldberg, Tresham Gregg, David Pahl, John Hagen, Adrian Revenaugh, Jim Heaton and Sarah Bishop.
Goldberg proposes a 12-foot-tall and nine-foot-wide Chilkat-style silver bracelet, with the formline design for the bracelet designed by Tlingit artist Wayne Price.
The bracelet will be “large enough to serve as an arched entry to the sculpture garden, or as a place to sit and shelter from the weather while viewing the other artwork. There is something magical about encountering everyday objects that are sized up out of human scale,” Goldberg said.
Sarah Bishop’s installation involves cast glass fish “swimming” along the barracks’ walls. The nine-inch long fish will be attached to granite blocks with copper hardware, with a moss and lichen garden running along the base of the installation.
Artists and stakeholders gathered at the museum Feb. 15 to discuss the proposals and how the artworks would work as an ensemble. Chorus Bishop presented a 3D image of the barracks ruins with an example of where several of the proposed sculptures would go.
Confluence creative director Carol Tuynman said she hopes to have all the work installed by September. See slides of the pieces at www.alaskaartsconfluence.org/historic-fort-william-h-seward-sculpture-garden.