One of Charlotte's Original Streetcar Suburbs
The proposed sculpture should be a happening, so people can look and feel emotionally touched and connected to it. It should also be a surprise. There is no mystery about railroad tracks (my sculpture is constructed of old railroad ties and railroad tracks). Everyone knows what they are. The big reward comes when they are used in an audacious or unpredictable way, that is when I think the magic happens. The concept of this sculpture is a double helix. This came to mind as a suitable reference much like the rungs on a ladder. The ladder, in effect, is used to climb or ascend; therefore, the sculpture suggests the continuous addition of new and changing information that defines the ongoing history of a community.
There are two components to a sculpture, a flat plane or straight track and a twisted plane. The flat plane is linear and suggests the motion of time which is also linear. The twisted track, or non-linear component, suggests the notion of history as it changes over time. Public sculpture should aim to be.
- Inspirational – the sculpture should stimulate us to think about art as an extension of our lives. Art makes us feel connected; rarely does it make us feel disconnected.
- Aspirational – art aims for a higher standard or a higher bar. Art is ambitious. While it can say something about its place in the community or its place in history, art can jog our memory. Art can also shock, suggest, be daring and assert itself as a positive contribution to our public lives.
- Symbolic– the sculpture should be about Dilworth, marking a moment in history with the artifacts of the past. The artifacts, however, should and could be used in a contemporary, associative and inventive way.
- Referential - finally, art need not be prejudice, biased or indifferent. It should be part of its space, part of its location, part of its community, part of ourselves. It should arouse the curious and stimulate the inquisitive.