The final design includes translucent abstract bird/longhorn sculptural components lit
from within and angled to resemble a flock of birds flying out from the underside of the
bridge. The structure supporting the components will be clamped to the concrete beams
supporting the bridge and suspended above the median to clear truck height. Each component
will be made of an acrylic with a translucent white frost finish. LED lighting installed
inside will change gradually in color. The free-standing portion of the sculpture has been
placed 30 feet away from the entrance of the connector because of a planned addition to
the Union Pacific railroad track. As with those on the south end, the longhorn forms
will be internally illuminated at night with LED lights that slowly rotate through
different colors.
In April 2017, Dan Corson notified the City of his retirement from public art and
recommended longtime collaborator, KiboWorks to implement Flight on his behalf, which
the FWAC approved on April 10, 2017. As of December 2020, fabrication is in final stages
with installation planned for early 2021.
About the Artist:
Dan Corson blurs the boundaries between Fine Art, Theatrical Design, Architecture,
Landscape Architecture, Science and sometimes even Magic. Corson’s projects have ranged
from complex rail stations and busy public intersections to quiet interpretive buildings,
meditation chambers and galleries. With a master’s degree in art from the University of
Washington and a BA in Theatrical Design from San Diego State University, their work is
infused with drama, passion, layered meanings and often engages the public as co-creators
within my environments.
About Kiboworks:
Kiboworks products and solutions are created with a masterful skill and attention to
detail inspired as much by traditional craftsmanship as by state-of-the-art engineering.
This pursuit of perfection is evident at every stage of the projects process. Kiboworks
has always pursued a uniquely uncompromising approach to creating unique solutions. One
that seeks innovation with a sophisticated
Fort Worth Public Art - When Air Becomes Sky
The Animalis Works team, artists Dharmesh Patel and Autumn Ewalt, was inspired by the
revitalization and conservation of Northwest Community Park as an ecosystem. Particularly
interested in its reemergence as a stopping point on the migration route of the monarch
butterflies, the team designed a series of larger-than-life butterfly sculptures. Each
beautiful butterfly sculpture calls to mind this migration, encapsulating the energy and
vibrance of nature.
Placed along two trails each butterfly appears to have just landed, inviting viewers to
interact with the work while exploring the park. The sculptures hold a total of
approximately 6500 embedded crystal prisms which are activated by sunlight throughout
the day, casting colorful patterns of refracted light on passersby. This alludes to the
fluttering of butterfly wings while also providing park patrons a unique experience each
time the sculptures are visited.
City of Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price joined hundreds of mayors across the U.S. in support
of the monarch butterfly and other pollinators, whose populations have declined, by
signing the National Wildlife Federation's Mayors' Monarch Pledge. Just last year, Fort
Worth was named a Monarch Butterfly Champion City by the program, one of only four cities
in North America who have earned such a distinction. Learn more about the City's continued
efforts to support monarchs.
This project was funded by the 2014 bond program. We look forward to dedicating this
artwork to the City of Fort Worth later this year.
About the Artists
Animalis Works, LLC is an art and design practice specifically interested in the
transformation of public spaces into sites for interaction, reflection, and contemplation.
The collective began in 2010 with the mission to create an environment that allows for a
synergy of creative forces. The term “animalis” is defined animated or living; Animalis
Works seeks to create art that brings these qualities to the people and places that live
with their work. The artists' work has been widely collected, and they have completed
public installations in New York City, New York; Austin, Texas; and San Antonio, Texas.
