Letting the sun shine in

The city of Moscow and the Moscow Arts Commission installed four new sculptures in the Intermodal Transit Center Sculpture Garden on Monday, and the artwork will remain on display until May 2024.

The artwork featured includes “A Lucky Rabbit’s Footside” by Alyssa Hamburger, “The Sun Shines Through It” by Jill Kyong, “C’mon I Ain’t That Scary” by Melanie Velazco Curiel and “Absolution” by JacQueline Walker.

All the artists are students at the University of Idaho in the College of Art and Architecture.

Kyong said she made her piece based on the students she had in her first year of teaching college art classes. Her sculpture features yellow birds, cut out of metal, under an umbrella.

The umbrella has missing sections of the “fabric,” Kyong said, to allow the sun to shine on the birds and remind the students that no matter the hard times they are going through, things can change.

The sculpture garden was established in 2012 to provide a place for the public to view arts in new ways. Annual submissions are open to local and regional artists through the arts commission. Typically, the city receives seven to 10 submissions each year, said Megan Cherry, arts program manager for the city of Moscow.

The metal sculpture was a departure from Kyong’s traditional medium, which is wood. Kyong said she is currently a graduate student which gives her the ability to try new mediums like welding.

“I’m always thankful and surprised to have work accepted because I try to never assume anything,” Kyong said.

Cherry said the pieces in the exhibit are for sale to the public, and at the end of the year are either returned to the artist or delivered to the purchaser. All proceeds after sales tax and the city’s commission go to the artist, Cherry said. Last year, three of the four pieces at the sculpture garden were sold.

The garden is beneficiary of the city’s public art fund established in 2004. The projects supported by the fund include vinyl wrapped traffic boxes, bus shelters and the garden. The city also has a permanent collection made of 15 pieces located across Moscow.

All sculptures on display are available for purchase, Cherry said, and those interested can contact the arts department for more information.

Nelson can be reached at knelson@dnews.com.