Riverwalk Public Art

 

The City of Tampa recently installed new public art installations that enhance the experience of the beautiful Riverwalk. Just a short walk from Waterworks park to the Tampa Museum, visitors will see gorgeous sculptures, a colorful glass installation, and murals that wrap a downtown garage. Interested in seeing all of the Public Art along the 2.4 stretch of Riverwalk? Download this PDF and start exploring!

 

Andante by Heidi Lippman

Andante by artist, Heidi Lippman, is a series of laminated tempered glass panels spanning 200 linear feet underneath Interstate I-275 along the Tampa Riverwalk. In her work, Lippman utilizes the ancient medium of fused glass pigment with its interplay between opaque and transparent areas. The design incorporates linear elements, also inferring sound, which resonates throughout the large glass panels. Listening to music as she worked and, thinking about the people who would enjoy the site --joggers, families with babies in strollers, dog walkers -- she chose the title Andante, an Italian musical notation, for a walking tempo or walking music, which brings to mind the adjacent Symphony Hall and other cultural amenities for which Tampa is known. (photo: Dave Hellane)

Under the Fortune Taylor Street Bridge, the artwork, Woven Waves, features ‘folded’ ceramic steel panels to create a lenticular effect that changes with the viewer’s movement. The design team, Re: Site, takes inspiration from the history of the site and the Fortune Taylor Street Bridge, formerly the Laurel Street Bridge, named for the freedwoman Fortune Taylor. The bridge is a literal and figurative connector--it connects Tampa geographically but also connects communities socially. Using traditional West African, Cuban, and Scottish cultural patterns “stitched” in a composition evoking a quilt, is inspired by the various multicultural communities that make up and founded Tampa. (photo: Poly Vision) www.resite-studio.com / www.metalabstudio.com

America, America by Barbara Neijna, one of the first sculptures acquired in 1977, was relocated to the Tampa Riverwalk. Once tucked away behind the library, the new location allows for a new experience, both drive-by, and pedestrian, as well as serving as a meeting place along the Riverwalk. This modernist, red, steel artwork is composed of a series of planes. Two vertical forms, each composed of a rectangle and an acute triangle, stand approximately 18" apart, suggesting a ritual entryway. This artwork is made possible through the generosity of the National Endowment For The Arts, the Fine Arts Council of Florida, and the City of Tampa. (Photo: City of Tampa)

Laura with Bun is a monumental cast-iron sculpture based on an individual portrait by Spanish artist, Jaume Plensa. Like other important portrait-based sculptures by Plensa, Laura with Bun invites viewers to consider multiple aspects of beauty, individuality, and human nature. At 23 feet tall and more than 18,000 pounds, this artwork expresses both individual and universal traits on a grand and soaring scale. The sculpture was acquired in 2016 and is part of the Tampa Museum of Art’s permanent collection, made possible through private donations. (photo: Mark Thomas)

Stay Curious by Bask and Tes One

Poe Parking Garage is immediately surrounded by several of Tampa’s cultural assets, and the vibrant design of the murals interprets the call to Stay Curious reminding guests of all ages to continue to learn and experience the arts. Artists Bask and Tes One create a meaningful message and design that accentuates the structure’s form and access points, the Poe Garage is re-introduced to the community as a landmark unto itself and a clear indication of its arrival in the Tampa Arts District. (photo: Amy Martz)

All along the 2.4 miles of Riverwalk, visitors will also encounter several bronze busts along the path. This Historical Monument Trail of monuments tells the story of many noteworthy people and the significant events that have shaped the history of Tampa and Hillsborough County.