Lift Off (sculpture)

Last updated
Lift Off
Lift Off David Black A.JPG
Artist David Black
Year2009 (2009)
Dimensions5.8 m× 12 m× 8.8 m(19 ft× 39 ft× 29 ft)
Location Washington, D.C., United States
Coordinates 38°54′9.76″N77°1′7.55″W / 38.9027111°N 77.0187639°W / 38.9027111; -77.0187639
OwnerD.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities

Lift Off is a public artwork by American artist David Black, located at the CityVista Condominium at the intersection of 5th St NW & K St NW in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. Lift Off was created through DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. [1]

Contents

Description

Lift Off is a yellow, canopy like, abstract sculpture that sits on the corner of the CityVista building in front of Busboys and Poets. A welded (3/8-inch x 1/2-inch) aluminum plate with four crossbeams form the main skeleton of the work. Each crossbeam features a small floodlight on the end which illuminates the scallop like, origami inspired parts.

The sculpture's "Love Seat" Lift Off David Black E.JPG
The sculpture's "Love Seat"

A small love seat is placed at the central base for visitors to relax and immerse themselves within the artwork, which is easily accessible to visitors who are encouraged to interact with the piece. [2] The work was inspired by children flying kites at the Smithsonian Kite Festival. [3]

Acquisition

David Black was chosen by a collaboration led by the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities, the Office of City Planning, Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District and community organizers. $250,000 was acquired to fund the design, creation and installation of the work. [1] A reason cited for selecting the work was that it inspired interaction and use of the new neighborhood plaza. [3]

Installation

Concrete footings were installed in 2008 and the sculpture's installation began in November 2009. [1]

Dedication

The second work of art commissioned for the CityVista condominium complex, Lift Off was dedicated, alongside Inspiration by Ethan Kerber, on April 6, 2010. [3]

David Black

Black is known for his pavilion like works, which incorporate architectural design with traditional sculptural methods.

Discussing the work Lift Off, Black stated: "The sculpture appears kinetic as one passes by – reflecting the spirit and vibrancy of the new neighborhood,". [1]

Community Reception

All Busboys and Poets locations feature public artworks, and when asked about his views on the new artwork, restaurant owner Andy Shallal stated that:

Public art is a way to connect those living in a neighborhood with each other's humanity. It soothes the soul, lifts the spirit and touches everyone who passes by in a way nothing else can. Having such grand art next to Busboys and Poets has forever defined the corner of 5th and K, NW in the boldest of terms. [4]

Neighborhood blogs erupted upon the works selection and installation. The work has been described as an "unfinished building construction, clad in taxi cab yellow, on steroids." [5] However, neighborhood response has been generally positive, celebrating the fact that the work helps define the location of CityVista, the Mount Vernon neighborhood, and provides a unique meeting spot. In December 2010, the sculpture was used as the site for children to get photographs with Santa Claus for the holidays. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adams Morgan</span> Neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Adams Morgan is a neighborhood in Washington, D.C., located in Northwest D.C., centered on the intersection of 18th Street NW and Columbia Road. The Washington Hilton and Madam's Organ Blues Bar are in Adams Morgan. Residential buildings include Euclid Apartments, Fuller House, Park Tower, Meridian Mansions, and the Pink Palace. Embassies in the neighborhood include the embassies of Lithuania, Poland, the Central African Republic, Gabon and Cuba. Carry the Rainbow on Your Shoulders, The Servant Christ, and The Mama Ayesha's Restaurant Presidential Mural are examples of public artwork in Adams Morgan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Vernon Square station</span> Washington Metro station

Mount Vernon Square station is a Washington Metro station in Washington, D.C., on the Green and Yellow Lines. It is the northeastern terminus of the Yellow Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Pleasant (Washington, D.C.)</span> Neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Mount Pleasant is a neighborhood in the northwestern quadrant of Washington, D.C. It is bounded by Rock Creek Park to the north and west; Harvard Street NW to the south; and 16th Street NW to the east. It is north of Adams Morgan and west of Columbia Heights. It is home to about 10,000 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K Street (Washington, D.C.)</span> Major thoroughfare in Washington, D.C.; a metonym for the U.S. lobbying industry

K Street is a major thoroughfare in the United States capital of Washington, D.C., known as a center for lobbying and the location of numerous advocacy groups, law firms, trade associations, and some think tanks. In political discourse, "K Street" has become a metonym for Washington's lobbying industry or lobbying in the United States in general, the same way Wall Street in New York City became a metonym for the financial markets of the United States, since many lobbying firms are or at least traditionally were located on the section in Northwest Washington which passes from Georgetown through a portion of Downtown Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwest (Washington, D.C.)</span> Quadrant in the United States

Northwest is the northwestern quadrant of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States, and is located north of the National Mall and west of North Capitol Street. It is the largest of the four quadrants of the city, and it includes the central business district, the Federal Triangle, and the museums along the northern side of the National Mall, as well as many of the District's historic neighborhoods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Vernon Square</span> United States historic place

Mount Vernon Square is a city square and neighborhood in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. The square is located where the following streets would otherwise intersect: Massachusetts Avenue NW, New York Avenue NW, K Street NW, and 8th Street NW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown (Washington, D.C.)</span> United States historic place

Downtown is the central business district of Washington, D.C., located in Northwest D.C. It is the fourth largest central business district in the United States. The "Traditional Downtown" has been defined as an area roughly between Union Station in the east and 16th Street NW in the west, and between the National Mall on the south and Massachusetts Avenue on the north, including Penn Quarter. However, nowadays, Downtown D.C. usually refers to a larger area, as the DC Office of Planning states:

…most residents, workers, and visitors think of Downtown in a broader sense — including areas as far north as Dupont Circle, as far west as Foggy Bottom, and as far east as Capitol Hill. Only about half of the central city workforce is located within the city’s traditional Downtown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Busboys and Poets</span> Restaurant chain in Washington, D.C., area

Busboys and Poets is a full-service restaurant, bar, bookstore, coffee shop, and events venue in the Washington, D.C. area, founded in 2005 by Andy Shallal. The original Busboys and Poets is located at 14th & V streets in the U Street Corridor of Washington, D.C. There are now seven locations in the D.C. area: A second location opened in Shirlington, Virginia in 2007; a third location opened in DC's Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood in 2008; a fourth in Hyattsville, Maryland opened in July 2011; a fifth at D.C.'s Brookland neighborhood opened in 2014; a sixth opened in D.C./Maryland's Takoma neighborhood in 2015; and a seventh location opened in D.C.'s historic Anacostia neighborhood in early 2019. It has been described as a haven for writers, thinkers and performers from America's progressive social and political movements.

<i>Guglielmo Marconi</i> (Piccirilli) Public artwork in Washington, D.C., U.S.

Guglielmo Marconi is a public artwork by Attilio Piccirilli, located at the intersection of 16th and Lamont Streets, N.W., in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. It stands as a tribute to Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi. It was paid for by public subscription and erected in 1941. The artwork was listed on both the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites and the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. It is a contributing property in the Mount Pleasant Historic District. The monument was originally surveyed as part of the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! survey in 1994.

<i>Family Circle</i> (House)

Family Circle is a public artwork by the American artist Herbert House, located at the intersection of 18th and Harvard Streets NW in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. Family Circle was dedicated in 1991. It was surveyed as part of the Smithsonian's Save Outdoor Sculpture! survey in 1994.

<i>(Here I Stand) In the Spirit of Paul Robeson</i> Sculpture in Washington, D.C.

(Here I Stand) in the Spirit of Paul Robeson is a public artwork by American artist Allen Uzikee Nelson, located at the intersection of Kansas Ave NW, Georgia Ave NW and Varnum St NW in the Petworth neighborhood in Washington, D.C., United States. It is a tribute to musician, actor, and social activist Paul Robeson.

<i>Inspiration</i> (sculpture)

Inspiration is a public artwork by American artist Ethan Kerber, located at a commercial building at the intersection of 5th St NW & K St NW in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. Inspiration was created through DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

<i>Les Trois Grâces</i>

Les Trois Grâces is a set of three public artworks by French-American sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle. The Three Graces were a part of the National Museum of Women in the Arts New York Avenue Sculpture Project. It was created in 1999. It is located in Washington, DC, United States.

<i>Nana on a Dolphin</i>

Nana on a Dolphin is a public artwork by French sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle. Nana on a Dolphin is part of the National Museum of Women in the Arts New York Avenue Sculpture Project and has also been on display at the home of Nicole Salinger in Provence, France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Vernon Triangle Historic District</span> Historic district in Washington, D.C., United States

The Mount Vernon Triangle Historic District is a historic district in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood of Washington, D.C., consisting of 22 contributing residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, and one known archaeological site. The area was once a working class neighborhood for mostly German immigrants and home to semi-industrial enterprises such as a dairy and an automobile repair shop. The Northern Liberty Market that once stood on the corner of 5th Street and K Street NW played a large role in spurring development in the surrounding area as did the streetcars on Massachusetts Avenue and New York Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Vernon Triangle</span> Place in the United States

Mount Vernon Triangle is a neighborhood and community improvement district in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. The neighborhood is located adjacent to Mount Vernon Square. Originally a working-class neighborhood established in the 19th century, present-day Mount Vernon Triangle experienced a decline in the mid-20th century as it transitioned from residential to commercial and industrial use. The neighborhood has undergone significant and rapid redevelopment in the 21st century. It now consists mostly of high-rise condominium, apartment and office buildings. Several historic buildings in the neighborhood have been preserved and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Mount Vernon Triangle is now considered a good example of urban planning and a walkable neighborhood.

<i>Pillar of Fire</i> (sculpture)

Pillar of Fire is an illuminated glass sculpture in Washington, D.C. honoring Whitman-Walker Health and the healthcare workers who assisted people living with HIV/AIDS during the height of the AIDS epidemic. Designed by artist William Cochran, the sculpture is composed of 370 layers of float glass that changes colors throughout the day. It was installed in 2013 in front of the old Whitman-Walker Clinic site at 14th and S Streets NW. The design was inspired by the ancient tale of a pillar of fire that led Israelites in their crossing of the Red Sea and through the desert after they fled Egypt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Liberty Market</span>

The Northern Liberty Market, later called Convention Hall Market and Center Market, was located on the east side of 5th Street NW, between K and L, in the present-day Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It operated from 1875 to 1963.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Black (sculptor)</span> American sculptor

David Black is an American sculptor known for both, his pioneering, avant-garde use of plastics and his monumental, aluminum, large scale public sculptures.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Artist David Black Installs Sculpture at 5th and K". News Room. Mount Vernon Triangle. 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-05-13. Retrieved 4 Feb 2011.
  2. "Miscellaneous". Projects. Steven Schaefer Associates, Inc. 2010. Archived from the original on 2013-02-03. Retrieved 4 Feb 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 "Celebrate The Installation Of Two Public Art Installations In Mount Vernon Triangle". News Room. Mount Vernon Triangle. 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-05-13. Retrieved 4 Feb 2011.
  4. Deidre T. Ehlen (2010). "New Public Art Installations Dedicated at Mt. Vernon Triangle". DCArts. DC.gov. Retrieved 4 Feb 2011.
  5. Cary Silverman (2009). ""Lift Off" at 5th & K: Your View?". the Other 35 Percent. Retrieved 4 Feb 2011.
  6. "PHOTO WITH SANTA CLAUS". DC Events Calendar. Cultural Tourism DC. 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-12-29. Retrieved 4 Feb 2011.
External images
Searchtool.svg https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsavespublicart/5416556589/in/photostream
Searchtool.svg https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsavespublicart/5417166562/in/photostream
Searchtool.svg https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsavespublicart/5416553833/in/photostream
Searchtool.svg https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsavespublicart/5416551483/in/photostream