Photos: Is This Sculpture a Ship or a Fish?
Artist Bobby Donovan said his new art installation at Westgate Circle in Annapolis is meant to have a nautical reference that evokes images of the ribs of a ship or fish.
Photos
A new, nautical themed sculpture at Westgate Circle is finally complete.
It's comprised of five, large wooden arcs with steel masts that suspend smaller wooden pieces above the arcs, and creator Bobby Donovan said he hopes inspires nautical images.
"It could be the ribs of a ship or the ribs of a large fish," Donovan said. "I wanted a nautical theme without being very specific."
Installation of the wooden "ribs," which are built from reclaimed oak, cedar and pine, closed the inner lane of traffic at the Westgate roundabout for approximately six hours on July 10.
A crew of volunteers recently returned with Donovan to add the steel masts and finishing touches, but they didn't need to re-route traffic.
Annapolis’ Arts in Public Spaces Commission paid $10,000 to bring the sculpture to what it calls “the gateway to the city” for a two-year term.
Commission Chairman Tom Fridrich said members decided on a temporary installation because they view the circle as a "gallery space that you change out from time to time."
It plans to begin the search for the next sculpture soon after a formal opening reception for Donovan's work is held later this summer.
Now that the sculpture is complete, what do you think of it? Does it remind you of a ship, a fish or something else entirely?
Stacey Lowe
5:12 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
My kids said it looks like dinosaur ribs, lol.
Christiaan Conover
6:23 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
It looks to me like the ribs of a whale, with smaller fish swimming around them. Regardless, I like it.
Safety first
8:18 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Looks like a pile of fire wood to me. What a complete waist of money.
Margarita Morgan
12:04 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
Ditto!
Marina
8:37 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
'I wanted a nautical theme without being very specific." ... nothing specific here for sure .. it looks bunch of hot dogs on sticks
Patricia S
11:15 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
It looks like Fred Flintstones rack of brontosaurus ribs with skewered french fries. What a waste of money!! What happened to the sculpture that was already there?
Rachel
7:46 am on Sunday, July 29, 2012
Just the "ribs" were bad enough...the "masts" don't make it look any better. It's really sad looking...not a welcoming site to Annapolis.
nichole sampson
8:12 am on Sunday, July 29, 2012
The amazement about how a ship glides over the waters somewhat effortlessly is by the grace of the wind and sails ...it would have been nice to see something that resembled a sail...a dead/bones of a ship...honestly with the history of dead old ships and annapolis = the middle passage/slavery ...I'm one art therapist who is very surprised that this sculpture got approved in its current state.
S Kirby
11:27 am on Sunday, July 29, 2012
$10,000 investment for 2 years? Really? The sculpture on Hilltop Lane is better. I believe that money would have been better spent on grants for arts education. Again, temporary at $10,000?!!
Kevin Spruill
12:30 pm on Sunday, July 29, 2012
Why was the original sculpture designed for the space never installed?
Renee R
12:31 pm on Sunday, July 29, 2012
Who's great idea was this????
Nanny
12:58 pm on Sunday, July 29, 2012
Are you kidding me? It looks like a mess. Someone spend money on this... get rid of the sticks up in the air and it might look some where a person could sit...?
Elvia Thompson
1:54 pm on Sunday, July 29, 2012
I love it. I think it's innovative and great in that spot
byron bromley
6:04 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
A shrimp cocktail
SP Neighbor
9:34 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
I have driven by it several times and each time it looked to me like the rib carcass of a large dinosaur. Didn't get any nautical reference until someone said that was the effort. I do like having art in public spaces and someone has to do it. It might be nice to have the public be able to weigh-in on something like this. I don't know the funding structure, but if it was taxpayer dollars, I think there should be time for public comment. If private money paid for it - fine.
ScottRAB
2:08 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some also say the purpose of art is to make you think. It seems this skill has been lost.