Urbana, Illinois - Art in the Park
The opening of a new park, every aspect of which was designed by John David Mooney, will commence at 5pm with a reception hosted by Mayor Laurel Prussing. The park’s landscape elements, including Spirit Tree, a 33’ high steel and light sculpture, and Falling Leaf, a 12’ high polished stainless steel fountain sculpture, are united in one signature work celebrating Urbana’s dedication to their urban forest and Mooney’s concept of “The American Garden.” At dusk the park becomes a “night garden” as the sculptures are transformed by LED’s, an energy saving illumination. Urbana citizen and University of Illinois professor Nick Holonyak invented the LED fifty years ago this October. This project took 22 years to complete and represents Slow Art both literally and figuratively. The park is an example of community and philanthropic benevolence, and it provides visitors a place of quiet and rest as well as varied and rich visual encounters through all the seasons.
