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About the Art
The public art project planned for Atlantic Avenue features large metal tree rings that incorporate silhouettes of people, flora, and fauna along with poems by Johnny Lee Chapman, III.
Exploring tree rings as a metaphor, the artist is looking at "splits and merges," and how the "radial distance indicates time with the birth at the center. At a given radial distance, pieces of arc represent descendent nodes in existence at that time. A node that neither splits nor merges is represented by a circle whose radius indicates the lifetime of the node."
Artist Biography
Durham artist David Wilson's current body of work charts iconic treatments of the natural world through representations of the universal as symbols of collective dignity and identity and are based in a collage approach. A primary driver in his public works is the creation of interpretation by all with an overall goal to foster introspection, communication, and provide a platform for education. Wilson brings a scientific approach to the creation of both fine and public works of art. He has researched and developed firing and glazing techniques for glass paintings studied the effects of light in spaces and discovered techniques for bending and welding metal, free-standing public structures.
About the Poet
Johnny Lee Chapman, III is an interdisciplinary artist from Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina. Chapman started writing as a “Tumblr poet” in 2010 during his first year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a student in the Dental Hygiene program. In 2014, he leaped from the page to the stage, beginning his career as a spoken word artist. Since then, he has performed regionally and nationally and is an active voice within his Triangle community. His professional range includes spoken word performances, screenwriting and acting, facilitation of poetry showcases, craft workshops, and artist mentorship. Chapman also operates as a visual artist under the name, The Golden Moment, utilizing the mediums of film and photography to convey emotion without explanation.
Project Details
The Atlantic Avenue Public Art Project is funded by the 2017 Transportation Bond. Capital Improvement Projects that meet the Percent for Art Ordinance standards, such as this one, are eligible to use 1% of construction funding for Public Art. Inclusion of aesthetics and artwork is an investment in our communities, with a focus on community identity and equity in quality of life. Communities gain cultural, social, and economic value through public art.
The project is located between Highwoods Boulevard and New Hope Church Road. The proposed improvements will improve safety and mobility for pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles. Atlantic Avenue is currently four lanes from Highwoods Boulevard to New Hope Church Road with a posted speed of 35 miles per hour (mph). Commercial land use occurs mainly along the west side of the roadway while the east side is primarily residential. Proposed improvements include a median, sidewalks along the east side of the street, a multi-use path along the west side, street lights, and landscaping.
This project will include stand-alone or integrated public art, which may include stand-alone sculpture, artwork sited at stormwater catchment site(s), and/or artwork integrated into pedestrian paving, lighting, benches/bike racks or other site elements. The artist will work closely with the design team, project stakeholders, and neighborhood groups to ensure a successful outcome.
