Shelbyville Chooses Riverwalk Gateway Art
(image courtesy of artist Mike Helbing)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowSeven proposals have been pared down to one, and Shelbyville has chosen the sculpture to be displayed near the city’s riverwalk gateway. A committee has chosen Blue River-Wind, Rain, and Water by artist Mike Helbing to be permanently placed near the Porter Visitors Center.
Shelbyville Mayor Tom DeBaun says the sculpture will be installed by November. “We asked the artists to incorporate the newly constructed Blue River Recreational Trail at the site, along with the Blue River crossing and importance as a gateway to the City into their proposals for the sculpture. The river has shaped the development of our community, and is an asset that we want this art to celebrate. The sculpture should be something that encourages people to get out of their cars and experience the art, the trail, and newly designated Riverfront Development District.”
Trail users will actually be able to walk through the sculpture as they traverse the trail. Helbing says the sculpture represents a thundercloud, rain, and the basin of the Big Blue and Little Blue Rivers. The stainless steel structure will be approximately 40-feet tall. More information on the sculpture can be found here.
The Blue River Community Foundation, city officials and planners, Shelby County Tourism, Shelby County Chamber, Main Street Shelbyville, Inc. and nearby business owners and private donors contributed the $150,000 budget. City officals say this is the first project in the recently adopted Public Art Plan, which can be seen here.