Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park
The Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park is an integral feature of the Newport Beach Civic Center. Civic Center Park, which turned nearly half a million square feet of undeveloped land into a new public park, was designed by renowned landscape architectural firm Peter Walker and Partners (PWP). The City Arts Commission determined that a rotating exhibition, in which pieces are loaned for a 2-year period, was an optimal approach to bring sculpture to the City in a cost-efficient manner. In 2013, the Newport Beach City Council authorized the City Arts Commission to implement an inaugural rotational sculpture exhibit in Civic Center Park.
Admission is free and the exhibition continues to be enjoyed by residents and guests of all ages and sensibilities. The exhibition has become a “museum without walls” that offers the temporary display of public art in a unique, naturalistic setting. Moreover, the City is able to exhibit a well-balanced representation of public art, with artistic merit, durability, practicality, and site responsiveness as criteria in the selection of work. The rotational nature of the exhibit ensures that residents and guests are exposed to a variety of work.
Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park - Phase VI
On February 9, 2021, the Newport Beach City Council approved ten new pieces for Phase VI of the Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park, along with three alternates. Installation, managed by Arts Orange County, is scheduled for June 2021. Phase VI sculptures will be on loan through June 2023.
Phase V and Phase VI Grand Opening Date: September 18, 2021
Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park - Phase V
The Newport Beach City Arts Commission is pleased to announce the installation of ten new sculptures in Phase V of the Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park. The ten new sculptures were selected from submissions received by a national call for entries based on their artistic merit, durability, practicality and site appropriateness. Arts Orange County provided professional services for the coordination of the artist selection and installation of the sculptures. They are scheduled to be on display in Civic Center Park for two years.
INSTALLED JULY 2020
The Phase V sculptures are as follows (left to right, down):
- Cosmo by Roger Heitzman, Scotts Valley, CA
- Fractured Peace by Nancy Mooslin, Los Angeles, CA
- I’m Listening by Monica Wyatt, Studio City, CA
- The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Patricia Vader, Martinez, CA
- Seated Diana by Curt Brill, Tucson, AZ
- Primemover by Grant Irish, Oakland, CA
- Window to the Sea by Andra Broekelschen, Corona del Mar, CA
- Marble Shooter by Ron Whitacre, Laguna Beach, CA
- Dude Ascending by Joe Forest Sackett, Albuquerque, NM
- Individuality n.1 by ARTECLETTICA Dominic Panziera & Daniela Garofalo, Truckee, CA, Metal work by Anton Standteine
- The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Patricia Vader
Bicycle wheels, in the imaginative hands of repeat Newport Beach Civic Center contributor Patricia Vader, can both take on a delicate, lace-like form, and strike a dramatic impression in red.
- Dude Ascending by Joe Forest Sackett
This sculpture marries a joyous spectrum of sky blues with a cheeky play on the name of Duchamp's legendary "Nude Descending a Staircase, No. 2".
- Primemover by Grant Irish
The flow of data in our modern world is captured in this powerful steel icon from sculptor Grant Irish. The jagged angles seem to carry a message; but we can only wonder what information it contains.
- Marble Shooter by Ron Whitacre
The marble in Ron Whitacre’s great stainless steel hand is made of shotput material and painted to resemble a satellite view of Earth, suggesting a game of mighty stakes for a possibly - Almighty player.
- Window to the Sea by Andra Broekelschen
Local artist Andra Broekelschen has crafted an inviting frame of shells and local sea glass, shaping the small things of nature into a form through which we can gaze on the vast waters of the ocean.
- Seated Diana by Curt Brill
A suggestion of a massive seated female figure in bronze contains a beguiling array of possible emotions – do we see weariness, peace, optimism, resistance?
- Fractured Peace by Nancy Mooslin
The size and colors of Nancy Mooslin’s inviting wooden arches were inspired by the rhythms and pitches of music, a way of “seeing” a melody in three dimensions.
- Individuality n. 1 by ARTELETICCA, Dominic Panziera & Daniela Garofalo
Boisterous and whimsical, this celebration of being your own strange self is confident enough in its own skin to be at home among the sands of Burning Man or the coastal splendor of our own Civic Center Park. Metal work by Anton Standteine
- I'm Listening by Monica Wyatt
Abstract figures in bronze suggest parents bending towards their offspring – but who is trying to listen to whom?
- Cosmo by Roger Heitzman
Kinetic forms that recall classical depictions of the planetary orbits are held aloft in their whirling patterns by a tower of what artist Roger Heitzman calls “undulating seaweed”, all in stainless steel.
Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park - Phase IV
The City Arts Commission invites the public to explore the Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park, the City's largest display of public art. The Sculpture Exhibition was first installed in 2014 with sculptures on loan for two-year periods. Phase IV showcases ten large-scale pieces, which will be on display until June 2021.
- START Now by Scott Froschauer
Veteran of the Smithsonian and Burning Man, Froschauer uses official design specs and parts from the Dept. of Transportation to create a bureaucratic Trojan Horse for a touch of inspiration and reflection.
Sculpture Video Angelic forms in stainless steel make for a dazzling trio in Wind Swept. The elegant figures reflect the sunlight, moonlight, and weather. Their changing shades makes them come alive.
Sculpture VideoSteven Rieman uses the title to clue you in to the subject of this frisky kinetic work – a surfer in a state of both wildness and balance on a great, swooping wave.
Sculpture VideoThe Tot is ready to jump into the water, and his goggled-and-swim-trunked figure, perhaps influenced by the steampunk movement, produces instant delight on viewing.
Sculpture VideoLos Angeles artist David Buckingham has assembled coated scrap steel into the colorful Spy Boy. An idol-like figure with his over-sized head and ritualistic stance, he calls viewers from far away to come closer and appreciate his ingenious construction.
Sculpture VideoThe name Feathers in the Wind perfectly distills what the work gives you – the kinetic energy of a bird’s flight, captured in brilliant, reflective blue. Well-known in San Diego and exhibited frequently all over Southern California, Alex G’s use of realistic forms, which resonate with his Native American cultural heritage, are a gift to any natural, outdoor setting.
Sculpture VideoThe poppy colors and whimsical subjects of Craig Gray’s sculptures have already graced the Civic Center Park in the form of his delicious Popsicles. Though Gray calls Florida home, the orange shades that cover Slices of Heaven seem custom designed to bask in the Southern California sun, playfully recalling the agricultural heritage that gives our home county its name
Sculpture VideoThe flowing porcelain curves of Pinnacle communicate both power and grace. Orange County native Stephanie Bachiero, represented by the prestigious Peter Blake Gallery, shows the elegance of great minimalist work while never hiding the deep personal meaning shaping things from beneath the surface.
Sculpture Video
The larger-than-life figure commands a striking pose strolling through the rolling hills of the Civic Center Park. The complex angles of this welded corten steel figure give the sensation of bold motion with a goal.
Sculpture VideoMichigan sculptor Ray Katz’s masterful ability to stir up energy from abstract forms is on riotous display with Hurricane as its interlocking aluminum shapes feel alive and chaotic from any angle.
Sculpture Video
Sculpture Exhibition in Civic Center Park - Phase III
The exhibition period for one piece from Phase III has been extended, and it will be on display through the end of September 2020.
Burnt Matchstick
Artist: Karl Unnasch
Physically inspired by radio tower design, this 40-foot sculpture, with its soft-glowing beacon and slow flicker, captures a fleeting moment in time: the split-second after a burning wooden matchstick has been extinguished by a gust of air. Varying combinations of amber, black, blue and white domestic opalescent glass aggregate in a multi-planar fashion in the construction of this larger-than-life, seemingly innocuous object.
HISTORY OF THE SCULPTURE IN THE CIVIC CENTER PARK EXHIBITION
Newport Beach Civic Center Park - 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach
In August 2013, the Newport Beach City Council authorized the City Arts Commission and City staff to implement a temporary sculpture exhibit in Civic Center Park. The City Council approved the installation of ten sculptures in Phase I of the project and additional ten sculptures in Phase II. The sculptures installed in year one were on display for two years and were removed and returned to the artists in 2016. Those installed in year two, or Phase 2, will be removed in September 2017. The ten sculptures selected for installation in September 2015 are shown in this Phase 2 Presentation.
A grand opening celebration on September 12, 2015 marked the installation of nine new sculptures in Phase II of the Sculpture in the Civic Center Park Exhibition with the tenth sculpture, "Sunflower," to be installed in January 2016. The community was invited to view the sculptures, meet the artists and enjoy music and refreshments at the Civic Center. Docent led tours of the Sculpture in Civic Center Park Exhibition were conducted by members of the Newport Beach Art Foundation.
MOBILE APP SELF-GUIDED WALKING TOUR OF THE PARK
For a self-guided walking tour of the Sculpture in the Civic Center Park Exhibition, download the "MyNB" app from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Search for "MyNB." If you already have the "MyNB" app on your mobile device, update it to include the latest additions to the Sculpture Exhibition.
In the News
- 3/11/2020 - Newport Beach sculpture garden to get a refresh with 10 new sculptures
- 1/22/2020 - Public invited to vote on new sculptures
- 8/30/2019 - NB Independent: Next Phase of Sculpture Exhibition moving forward
- 6/28/2019 - NB Independent: Dedication of sculpture exhibition in Civic Center Park
- 6/22/2019 - LA Times:10 new sculptures join Newport Beach exhibition
- 6/24/2019- OCRegister: Artwork created by crew-chief of truck racing team among 10 added to Newport Beach sculpture garden
- 6/28/2019 - Daily Pilot: Millions of dollars in state earmarks support outdoors projects in Newport, Huntington and Costa Mesa
- 3/22/2019 - Daily Pilot: Newport Arts Commissioners make oranges top pick
- 3/18/2019 - Daily Pilot: Poll winding down as Newport seeks public favorites for additions to sculpture exhibit
- 3/15/2019 - Newport Beach Independent: First Look at Next Phase of Sculpture Garden
- 2/20/2019 - Bay Area Grind: City of Newport Beach Call for Entries
- 2/15/2019 - Daily Pilot: Matchstick sculpture outside Civic Center may enter permanent collection
- 2/10/2019 - The Art Guide: Newport Beach Civic Center Sculpture Exhibition
- 1/18/2019 - Pelican Hill Magazine: Where to Explore Everyday Public Art in Orange County
- 1/17/2019 - Newport Beach Independent: Local Art Moving Forward: Sculpture Garden
- 1/9/2019 - Daily Pilot: Newport will fill funding gap for sculpture exhibit in Civic Center Park
- 11/3/2017 - Newport Beach Independent: New Round of Sculptures Officially Opens
- 10/26/2017 - Daily Pilot: Latest sculptures get grand opening Saturday
- 10/26/2017 - Daily Pilot: Photo gallery Newport Beach Civic Center sculptures
- 9/29/2017 - Newport Beach Independent: Council OKs Phase III of Sculpture Exhibition
- 9/27/2017 - Daily Pilot: Latest sculptures approved
- 9/15/2017 - Daily Pilot: Sculpture finalists announced
- 8/25/2017 - Daily Pilot: Panel's pick echoes public choices
- 8/11/2017 - Daily Pilot: Online survey picks public's favorite
- 6/22/2016 - Pelican Hill Magazine: Nature in the Urban World at Civic Center Park
- 9/30/2015 - Explorer LA: Strolling Through a Newport Beach Sculpture Garden
- 9/18/2015 - Newport Beach Independent
- 9/13/2015 - OC Register
- 9/12/2015 - Daily Pilot
- 9/10/2015 - Newport Beach Magazine: On View: Phase Two of the Sculpture in Civic Center Park Exhibition
- 9/9/2015 - OC Register
- 8/22/2015 - Daily Pilot
- 8/21/2015 - Newport Beach Independent
- 7/9/2015 - OC Register
- 10/3/2014 - Newport Beach Magazine: Art in the Park
- 8/7/2014 - Newport Beach Magazine: Newport Beach Buzz