Permanent Public Art

In her proposal, Lynn Basa commented, “Materials are symbolic, that’s why, for Kingsport, I would like to create an artwork that weds the town’s past with its present and future. One of the first things that clued me in to the fact that Kingsport was no ordinary small town was when I came upon the 1919 street plan [designed by John Nolen], as elegant and rational as any world capital. As I researched further, it became evident that a direct line can be drawn between the strategic thinking of Kingsport’s leaders 100 years ago in creating the country’s first modern industrial town plan and the 2001 ‘Educate and Grow’ initiative as a solution to the changing economy – well in advance, it should be noted, of today’s economic crisis.” Basa has designed public art projects throughout the United States including “The Great Circle Route,” terrazzo, ceramic mosaic, and fiber art in the Indianapolis Airport; the Glendale, Arizona History Walk, glass mosaic; the Grove Mosaic and Shade Canopy, glass mosaic and laser-cut aluminum; among many others. Basa is also the author of “The Artist’s Guide to Public Art” and is a regular instructor for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

The Kingsport Public Art Committee was able to announce completion of this public art installation piece in 2010, through Kingsport’s Percent for Art for the Kingsport Higher Education Center and surrounding Academic Village. Location: the corner of Clay and Market Streets and at the Kingsport Higher Education Center.