In a wooded area on the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and NW 27th Avenue, just west of I-95, across from Dillard Center for the Performing Arts, sits a small parcel of land known as Dillard Green Space.
It is today enhanced with a new public artwork titled As One that came in to being through the collaboration of many public entities (Public Art & Design Committee, Artist Selection Panel) within Broward County. Also, a public artist from Washington, and student and teachers from Dillard Center for the Performing Arts. Tying together artistic inspiration and creations from students, as well as feedback and interpretations from residents of this local community, As One, as the title and meaning infers, became the overall message for this project.
Through the process of all public artworks in Broward County, As One, began its development through a Call to Artists seeking an artist who fit a certain criteria, including being a U.S. Resident, at least 21 years old and having a minimum of five public art projects under their belt.
“For this project, the selected artists would be commissioned to work within a $75,000 budget, and three artists were initially shortlisted,” said Public Art & Design Project Manager Dominique Denis. “They were provided a $2,000 budget to create a proposal for their presentation and interview by the program’s Public Art & Design Committee, a group of professionals in the arts community that select artworks to be commissioned for the public art & design program.
As the selected artist, Blessing Hancock, of Skyrim Studio (link to blog # 1), Inc. based in Tucson, AZ, was asked to consult with community residents, students, teachers and townsmen and women, to ensure the artwork reflected the spirit of this historic, dynamic community.
As preliminary preparation, the artist came to Florida from Washington and toured different neighborhoods in the vicinity of this wooden area, visiting historical sites along the way such as the well-loved Old Dillard Museum, showcasing its African-American root of the neighborhoods.
Residents and children were asked questions in a survey to reveal what the neighborhood represents to them,” said Val Wolberg, Park Manager V, who coordinated the workshops and surveys, and is a member of the Artist Selection Panel (ASP).
There were four neighborhoods included: Roosevelt Gardens, Franklin Park, Boulevard Gardens and Washington Park, which Wolberg said sit within the green space in the unincorporated area called the Broward Municipal Services District.
Another panelist of the ASP, Celestin Joseph, a Dillard High School art teacher, worked with his students to help Hancock. “From Hancock’s engagement with the community, she selected themes of peace, security, serenity, safety and home,” said Joseph. She turned those themes into art (drawings? Dominique?) incorporating an ancient African writing system called Adinkra, symbols initially utilized by an ethnic group from the Ashanti Empire most of which is now modern-day Ghana in West Africa. The symbolism is decorative but also filled with messages.
“From Hancock’s engagement with the community, she selected themes of peace, security, serenity, safety and home,” said Joseph. The students turned those themes into drawings turned those themes into art.
“Blessing’s style of work is colorful and playful and Dillard Center for the Arts’ students enjoyed developing linear designs to be cut from aluminum sheets [with a waterjet] to be incorporated in the overall design of the piece,” added Joseph. “The symbolism, we felt, represented the community-at-large and the values for which we strive.
Today, the artwork stands stalwart, illuminated by LED lighting, welcoming passersby, shining a light on trees and speaking of a community’s spirit.
For more information on Blessing Hancock, visit www.blessinghancock.com.
For more information on additional projects and to look for upcoming Calls to Artists, visit www.Broward.Org/Arts.
