Tape Art Takes Over Kennedy Plaza
Monday, July 04, 2011
If you have walked downtown near Kennedy Plaza any time in the past month, you have probably noticed the gradual transformation of the Bank of America Skating Center into a huge mural of a tree. Occupying the entire rink, this “mural” is a large-scale temporary Tape Art Installation and has been a work in progress for the past three weeks to honor the 375th Anniversary of the City of Providence.
June 30th marked the culmination of the finished installation and the community was invited to come celebrate its closing with music, food, and also participate in the removal of the tree in which they all worked together to lift up the tape.
Inspired by Roger Wiliams
The inspiration for this vibrant 14,000-square-foot art installation comes from the city’s founder, Roger Williams, and explores the themes of Hope, Freedom, Roots, and Ingenuity. These concepts are a tribute to Roger
William’s legacy as well as values that the city of Providence strives to embody today, according to Jennifer Smith, the Event Manager at Greater Kennedy Plaza. Using 100% colored painters tape, the artists created the tree by making smaller tape figures that depict the silhouette of Roger Williams arriving on the shores of what became the colony of Rhode Island. The intertwined figures are arranged to form the branches and leaves of this enormous tree. “We are thrilled to have such a large surface to draw on,” says artist and founder of Tape Art Michael Townsend. "And through this work, we hope to help share the city’s incredible history, lore, and ideals.”This event and art display, part of the city-wide activities of “Celebrate Providence 375”, were made possible by multiple organizations including the Department of Arts, Culture, & Tourism, Tape Art, Greater Kennedy Plaza, and AS220.