Who doesn’t love a town that has a master plan for the display of public art? Public Art Reston is Reston’s non-profit organization with a mission to inspire an ongoing commitment to public art and create a new generation of artworks in Reston.
Today, Public Art Reston’s newest piece, called “Thoreau’s Ensemble,” is up for a prestigious art in public spaces award. The work was conceived by Artist Ben Volta who was inspired by Reston’s 55 miles of walking trails. 650 students from Hunters Woods and Dogwood Elementary Schools, along with senior citizens living in Reston, participated in the project. They were asked to “draw a path (however wide, narrow, straight, jagged, crooked, curly, and winding) in which we can all look at and enjoy with love and reverence.” The 710 individual drawings were then pieced together by Volta to give life to the Colt’s Neck Road underpass.
While the piece is more interesting than concrete walls, beauty was not the only goal of the project. The purpose of the work was to engage the community through direct involvement in the project and to enhance the perception of safety by eliminating graffiti.
You can contribute to the voting on the CODA Worx website. Just scroll down toward the bottom and look for “Thoreau’s Ensemble.”
Public art is one of the many reasons why Reston is such a dynamic place to live, work, and play. While much of the public art in reston is planned, there are many works of art that one can find organically. To learn more about living in Reston check out our page that highlights the town.
