((L-R) Milky Way, Gilded River | Photos courtesy of Art in Public Places)
Two roundabout sculptures will be repainted and repaired over the next several weeks and months. Gilded River is an artistic grouping of several Aspen inspired trees located at Third Street & Murphy Road. Milky Way is an S-curve with detailed lattice work that changes color at night located at Mt. Washington and Newport Avenue.
The sculpture at Third Street & Murphy Road will be deinstalled for repairs to the leaves and re-painting of the panels. There are approximately 150 powder-coated panels which have faded significantly over time. Once the panels are removed for the repairs, the stainless-steel tree trunks and branches will remain in place in the roundabout for the summer months.
The overall repairs to Gilded River will also include an upgrade to the 800+ fluttering leaves on the trees. The leaves (fabricated in three sizes) will be removed from the panels and reattached using a much more durable hardware that can withstand higher winds.
The conservation work on this sculpture will happen over the spring and summer of 2023 and should be completed by late summer. The panels will be repainted with an industrial paint coating that comes with a warranty and will last for at least 20 years. The sculpture was installed in 2017.
Milky Way was installed in 2013 and glows each evening with colored lights, changing from one color to another illuminated by LED lighting and powered by solar energy. The top of the sculpture will be deinstalled using a crane, sandblasted and repainted.
The cost of the repairs for Gilded River are being covered by the Bend Foundation. The repainting of Milky Way is covered in the City of Bend’s ongoing conservation budget for its public art collection. AiPP, with financial support from the Bend Foundation and generous community donations, commissioned and paid for both sculptures and gifted the works of art to the City of Bend. No tax dollars are used to purchase roundabout art.
About Art in Public Places:
Art in Public Places is a nonprofit organization that has donated public art throughout the city of Bend since 1973. For over 40 years Art in Public Places has created an enhanced visual environment for Bend residents and promoted tourism and economic vitality through the artistic design of public spaces.
