On June 12, the Mayor and Council unanimously approved awards for five art projects that will enhance the Rockville Town Square development, which is part of Phase I of Rockville Town Center.
All five projects also had unanimous recommendations from the Rockville’s Cultural Arts Commission and the artist nomination committees appointed to analyze the more than 350 overall artist entries submitted in response to a nationwide call for proposals.
One of the proposed art projects (Project 1) was not addressed at this time. This artwork would adorn six open grills on a parking garage along North Washington Street. Those grills are still in the design stage.
All finalists’ proposals were rejected for three of the projects: Project 5 (a sculpture that will be incorporated into a fountain base at the corner of Beall and Maryland Avenues); Project 7 (a temporary mural that is to go on the side of a building on East Middle Lane); and Project 9 (a work that was supposed to interpret "a series of many separate elements" and be located on the future Gibbs Street). All three projects will be re-examined and new entries will be sought for submission.
Below are the five projects that were approved. Click the images for a larger view.
| Project #1
Location: N. Washington Street Facade 1
Budget: $90,000
Title: Untitled
Artists: Claudia DeMonte & Ed McGowin Six pierced stone sculptures using imagery relevant to the community's past and present history. Images will include the flora, fauna, and animal life including state symbols and native plants and flowers. This sculpture will create pride in the community as a landmark for generations to come creating a sense of place.
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 | Project #4
Location: Beall Avenue and Maryland Avenue
Budget: $30,000
Title: Clio
Artist: Howard Kalish from Brooklyn, N.Y. From the artist: This bronze sculpture, which can be seen as a tree grove of flying book forms, expresses many aspects of the spirit of Rockville, as well as a thematic connection to the new Rockville Library. The name “Clio” is derived from the Greek muse of history. The sculpture is nine and one-half feet tall and 20 feet across.
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 | Project #6
Location: Hungerford Drive Parking Garage Facade
Budget: $80,000
Title: Crossroads
Artist: Craig Kraft from Washington, D.C. From the artist: Rockville is and has always been an important crossroads. This neon glass and aluminum sculpture will reflect off of the existing architecture, injecting the landscape both day and night with energy, evoking Rockville’s pioneering spirit in the technology and scientific fields. The 16 feet high by 30 feet wide by 4 feet deep sculpture will be mounted above the crossroads in the center of Rockville.
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 | Project #8
Location: North Maryland Avenue
Budget: $40,000
Title: Under One Roof
Artist: Dan Snyder from Berkeley, Calif. From the artist: This work of art is created in and with the sidewalk pavers. Selected pavers will be sandblasted and waterjet cut with text of different sizes and font referencing “Welcome” in many different languages; “Historical Reminders” and “Memories” as well as augmentation of inlaid brass elements. The new town square literally sits on the historical intersection of the original Indian crossroads. |
