The Murfreesboro City Hall Art Committee in conjunction with Murfreesboro’s Parks and Recreation Department are hosting a public reception to unveil MTSU art Professor Michael Baggarly’s sculptural work Friday, May 31, 2013 at 12 p.m. (noon). The event's location is the Murfreesboro Greenway System’s Gateway Island.

First endorsed by Mayor Tommy Bragg as a means to encourage more public art, the City Hall Art Committee organized a call for sculptural design proposals from the students of Murfreesboro City and Rutherford County Schools. A display and competition was held in the Rotunda of City Hall with the vision of Siegel High School student, Lauren O. Hughes chosen. Now at MTSU, Lauren’s vision served as inspiration and challenge to Baggarly who was selected to collaboratively translate the design into an artistic and technical reality.

To finalize the design, the art committee worked closely with city administration, the parks department, and Baggarly to incorporate elements of the student design while also addressing safety and aesthetic issues. “It’s been an arduous, but thorough process to get this accomplished,” said Eric Snyder, chair of the art committee. “The support and guidance provided by Mayor Bragg, the city manager’s office, and by the park’s department has been invaluable to the art committee.”

Reception plans include comments from Mayor Bragg, the unveiling and presentation of the sculpture to the Parks and Recreation Department, and a plaque listing the sculpture’s individual and business supporters along with the art committee’s members since the sculpture’s inception.

Having worked well throughout this process plans are now set for Parks and Recreation and the City Hall Art Committee to formulate a process by which other works of public art will be placed along more sections of the Murfreesboro Greenway System.

The Reception is free and open to the public. Directions to Gateway Island are Medical Center Parkway to Gateway Blvd, right on Kennedy Drive, and right on Williams Drive. Additional parking available at the Greenway's W. College Street Trailhead: 1902 W. College Street.

Source: 

Eric Snyder, Middle Tennessee State University