The Sparks Arts and Culture Advisory Committee recently chose sculptor Jim Gallucci to design and install a public art piece to be installed in Victorian Square this upcoming October.
The project is part of the Together We See Sparks creative placemaking plan that was approved by the city council in May 2020. In June 2023, the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee voted on two questions to ask on a survey to elicit public input about the permanent art piece that were meant to guide the artist to a design that stood for the character and values of the Sparks residents.
The public art piece is funded in part by the Victorian Square Room Tax Fund, a National Endowment for the Arts grant, and a Public Art Fund in a total amount not to exceed $125,000.
A nationwide call to artists went out in October 2023 through WESTAF’s artist portal and was promoted locally through various state/local arts agencies. The city received 142 submissions, which was then narrowed down to three candidates.
Sparks Special Events Supervisor Raquel Monserrat says that the City of Sparks Arts and Culture Advisory Committee chose Gallucci’s piece from the top three artists because they liked Gallucci’s design concept, the inspiration he took from the City of Spark’s history, and his impressive resume working with other municipalities in his ability to create a gathering space for other communities.
“It was put out on a public forum…there were several art commissions that you could apply for, and I applied to this one,” Gallucci says. “I’d been working with the idea of a circular form and researched the history of Sparks. I saw a wheel theme for this one. Wagon wheels on Donner Pass, the railroad, the Roundhouse. This was one of the major places with wheels…the roulette wheel at the casinos, the Tesla gigafactory that makes a wheel-like motor part.”
Gallucci says that after submitting the application and getting shortlisted, he and his team took 2-3 weeks to pull some concepts together and presented them to the Sparks City Council at the February 26th meeting.
In a video that was presented to the Sparks City Council, Gallucci shared examples of impressive sculptures that him and his six-person team built in Chicago, IL, Greensboro, NC, and Raleigh, NC. When playing with the circular design is when he saw the call for Sparks and noticed a common thread between the city and wheel theme.
The council members unanimously approved the contract at that meeting, and Gallucci found out the following day that he got the job.
The concept of the Victorian Square public art piece is a 16-ft. tall, 17-ft. wide stainless-steel wheel with square tubes attached to it, built in a way that reinforces its sturdiness. Inside each of the tubes will be waterproof secure LED lights that can change colors.
Once the contract is signed, Gallucci will start the engineering, fabrication, and installation of the piece.
“I think we have an idea that sparks people’s imaginations,” Gallucci added, explaining that the sculpture will feature tension, movement, and symbolization of the preservation of the old railroad shop.
The art piece is currently untitled, and Gallucci hopes that the Sparks community will name it.
“I love the idea of having the community name it,” Sparks Councilmember Charlene Bybee commented after the February 26 city council presentation.
“Art is something that does continue to draw people downtown, we have seen that in multiple cities. We love going down [to Victorian Square]. I think the Heart that’s sitting in front of Engine 8 Winery…we have people go up there just to take pictures with the art. I think something that’s lit that has some dynamic to it, this is cool,” Councilmember Kristopher Dahir added.
The sculpture is set to be installed on the large pedestal across from Victorian Plaza on Victorian Avenue this fall. For more information about the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, visit www.cityofsparks.us. To see examples of Jim Gallucci’s other work, visit https://www.jimgalluccisculptor.com/.
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