Two San Antonio artists are bringing some color (and creatures) to the city’s ever-growing collection of public art. New installations by Diana Kersey and RHYS (aka Rhys Munro) will be dedicated alongside the downtown Goodwill at 406 W. Commerce St. on Wednesday, May 20.
According to the city’s Department of Arts and Culture, Kersey's "Creatures of the Creek: A Fragile Balance,” at the corner of Santa Rosa and Commerce Streets, explores the tension between urbanity and nature using the flora and fauna of nearby San Pedro Creek.
The installation is split across two related groupings, both built from clay bricks. In one, animals like anoles, kingfishers, cottontails, red-eared sliders, and nine-banded armadillos are “caged” in geometric form, suggesting their displacement from a concrete landscape. In the other grouping, the same creatures are exaggerated, dominated by a giant anole lizard and a green kingfisher.
“‘Creatures of the Creek: A Fragile Balance’ serves as a testament to the delicate balance required for sustainable and harmonious coexistence between urban environments and the natural world,” writes the city. “The artwork encourages viewers to acknowledge the unfamiliarity of wildlife in our urban core and inspires a sense of responsibility to preserve and protect the habitats that sustain us all.”
Rhys Munro's "Metro Radiance" is a different experience depending on the time of day.Photo courtesy of City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture
Nearby, Munro’s "Metro Radiance" tells a story about place. Panels of colored architectural glass catch the sun throughout the day and are lit artificially at night, telling time through washes of color. According to the city, it speaks to how light can “transform a site into a place of meaning and connection.”
“‘Metro Radiance reminds us that beauty is not static but revealed in time, carried by memory and open to all,” explains the city.Both works are part of the City of San Antonio's public art collection. Details on the dedication event are available through the artcollection.sa.gov listings for each piece.
Munro’s and Kersey’s pieces are the latest additions to an 800-plus-piece public portfolio that San Antonio has been building for three decades. You can find a map of all the installations in a new online portal launched to mark the 30th anniversary of the city’s Public Art Ordinance.
