Two new Downtown Revitalization Initiative-funded (DRI) art installations will be officially unveiled next month in Auburn.
The Space Between sculpture by Audrey Iwanicki and the Radiance of Wellness: Unifying Diversity, the Heart of a Thriving Community mural-mosaic by Johnathan Cantrell and Jesse Kline will be unveiled on May 2 at 6:30p. The Space Between has been installed at the Lorraine Building by the city’s parking garage on William Street. Radiance of Wellness: Unifying Diversity, the Heart of a Thriving Community has been installed across the street at East Hill Medical.
Last year, the Auburn Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) announced the completion of DRI-funded art installations following the July 26 installation of Sky Woman, also by Iwanicki, at the corner of William and Lincoln Streets; however, Kline, who also serves as the BID’s director, told Finger Lakes News Radio that leftover DRI funding allowed the BID to create Radiance of Wellness.
“We had a little bit of money left, but enough so that we could fabricate this last sculpture. It was not part of the original scope of what we had promised to deliver.”
The rings of the sculpture had originally been intended for Sky Woman, but Kline added that a different set was eventually chosen for that sculpture, allowing the original set to be repurposed for The Space Between.
Plans are also being made to do landscaping in the greenspace surrounding the sculpture and fill it with wild flowers.
Radiance of Wellness was funded through DRI funding East Hill received for beautification site improvements. Tricia Kerr with East Hill explained to Finger Lakes News Radio that the funding was crucial to creating the mural.
“[Art projects are] not something we would normally fund ourselves. We’re a not-for-profit community health center, so the majority of the funds, if we make any, goes back into patient care… we wanted to do something to showcase health wellness, and diversity for our patients.”
Following the unveilings, the BID will hold a Flower Power fundraiser from 7:00-9:00p at Auburn Public Theater. Monies raised at the event will go to purchase flowers to plant downtown as well as other beautification projects.
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