Rockville Town Center
Proposed Art Projects

Rockville Town Square Art Project #9
Gibbs Street
“Things Left Behind”
$40,000

Beverly Ress proposes to make a series of small pieces that will honor moments in Rockville’s history.  Six re-created prehistoric pottery shards of thick, fired clay embedded within the bike lane that runs along one side of the street.  Nineteen to twenty-three cast bronze leaves of local varieties that will be embedded along one side of the street in the concrete of the bicycle path.  One cast bronze bird’s nest containing one cast bronze egg colored blue attached to the top of one of the two stone planter walls.  One cast aluminum newspaper carved in low-relief that contains a headline about William Gibbs.

Emanuel Martinez proposes thirty different sculptural elements cast in bronze and installed throughout Gibbs Street.  The elements will be actual size and color.  The patinas will be painted with acrylic and have a few protective coats of epoxy lacquer.  The small-scale items represented on the pedestals are sports items, children’s items, school items, and tools.  Personal items; such as an umbrella, car keys, a purse and a camera will also be included in this proposal.  The bronze elements will be installed with a stainless steel anchoring system in the sidewalk, bicycle zones, bollards, flower beds and tree planters.

Rockville Town Square Art Project #10
William Gibbs
Rockville Town Square Plaza
$100,000

Judith Inglese proposes to create three freestanding walls of different heights and widths  (10’ x 4’; 9’ x 5’; and 8’ x 4.5’) placed in the grassy area to form a sculptural element in the Plaza.  Ceramic tiled panels will be set into reveals on each side of these walls; the tiles will be handmade, terracotta clay with matt and glossy glazes.  The first panel is called “Gonna Shine” portraying the “colored” school, William Gibbs and the black children of Rockville.  The second panel is called “The Dream” showing the separate yet vibrant white and black communities of Rockville.  The third panel titled “Walk Together Children” shows images of southern agriculture; the fourth panel tilted “The Journey” depicts the northern migration.  The fifth panel titled “The Shout” portrays the protest against Jim Crow laws and inequities; the sixth panel titled ”Let The New Earth Rise” honors the civil rights movement.

Jose Aquirre and Roberto Delgado propose to create a triptych resembling stelae, or monuments to honor the history and culture of the community, the contribution of an individual, or a memorable event.  The shapes of these carved limestone stelaes are inspired by the woodcarvings and shields found in West Africa.  The sculptural design will consist of one stelae that is 9’h) x 40”(w) x 18” d) and two stelaes are 6’(h) x 40”(w) x 12”(d).  A portrait of William Gibbs made of Byzantine glass mosaic in sepia tones to resemble an old photograph framed at the center of the tallest stelae.  The other stelaes will have a circular, laser etched, granite plaque containing text of the history and accomplishments of William Gibbs.  The back of each stelaes will have mosaic abstract-faces representing the diversity of the local culture.  Ceramic tile treatments to pavers containing narrative of hundreds of cultural and historic images will be installed throughout the sidewalks and plaza area of Rockville Town Plaza.

Jerome Meadows proposes to create three rough, hewn granite columns each bearing the names of Gibbs, Marshall and Houston placed within an embracing circle.  Within the circle the names of other cases similar to Gibbs v Broome are acknowledged in ceramic tile within the pavement level as well as a West African symbol representing cooperation and interdependence located in front of the Gibbs column.  A sculpted banner of vitreous glass tiles is supported by the three columns and conveys celebration of Gibbs’ accomplishments.  This proposed newly constructed site would be connected by a walkway to the pre-existing seating area.  This walkway will be colored concrete with custom-made, ceramics tiles.  A curved set of bronze arches will be placed in the corner of the seating area and will display Gibbs’ time line.