Page 103 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2015

SCULPTUREGARDEN Bringing art and whimsy to Downtown Gulfport
Whimsical and thought- provoking metal art sculptures have taken up residence in downtown Gulfport to the delight of tourists and residents alike.
The Urban Sculpture Garden, mainly along 13th and 14th streets and 24th and 25th avenues was the brainchild of the Mississippi Sound Maritime Historical Foundation, and spearheaded by its president, John Harral. The Foundation, a non-profit entity, was created 15 years ago to develop a Maritime Museum, but turned its attention to restoring the old Carnegie Library on 24th Avenue after it was heavily damaged by Katrina.
With that accomplished, the
Foundation began looking at bringing public art to downtown Gulfport. “We focused on outdoor sculpture as a first step,” said Harral. “Our goal is simply to promote the importance of public art in our community.”
Invitations were sent to artists throughout the country and a jury selected the original sculptures, which will be displayed for one year. The selected artists built the sculptures at their own cost, and most came down to participate in the placement, Harral said. Each artist was given a stipend of $2,000 and each piece of sculpture has a plaque identifying the artist and his or her home town.
“If particular pieces are favorites, we hope to find a means to purchase those pieces to become permanent. If not, they will be returned to
the original artists, and we rotate in another set of sculptures from different artists, assuming that the show has been well-received by the artists,” Harral said.
Adrift II is located in front of the Gulf & Ship Island Building at
2605 13th Street. The Appalachian Balance Beam is located in the Urban Sculpture Garden on the corner of 14th Street and 24th Avenue, along with Threaded, and Dances of the Wind #2 and #3. Sailor Lady stands
in the median in front of the Post Office on 13th Street, and Sounds of the Elements stands at the Northwest corner of 13th Street and 24th Avenue.
“Some private property owners have already expressed a desire to have sculptures placed on their properties,” Harral said.
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August 2015 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 103