As we enter the dog days of summer, with temperatures rising around the country, we can truly appreciate Newport Beach’s wonderful natural environment including our beautiful beaches, world-class harbor, and many parks. Another way to enjoy the Southern California city is to tour some of the public art displayed around town.
There’s no better place to start than with the sculpture exhibition in Civic Center Park, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary. In the early 2010s, in connection with the development of Newport’s iconic city hall, the city arts commission, of which I was then chair, proposed art in the park, a rotational exhibit in a “museum without walls.” The collection is a gem of the community and has been supported by the Arts Foundation and many arts commissions over the years. Download the “MyNB” app on a smart phone for a virtual tour of the art as well as the native plants in the park.
“Pelican Wall” on northbound stretch of Mariner’s Mile on Pacific Coast Highway between Dover Drive and Newport Boulevard hosts twenty-two concrete pelicans which appear to take flight from an otherwise unremarkable retaining wall. A companion work, “Intaglio,” depicting wildlife indigenous to the early Irvine Ranch, is molded into large cement panels on the buildings in the 500 block of Newport Center Drive. Both pieces, installed in the 1980’s, are the work of internationally recognized conceptual artist, Tom Van Sant.
Another Van Sant creation, the majestic bronze bells on the south side of what is now Macy’s department store in Fashion Island, was installed in 1967. Fun fact—for some time the Guinness Book of World Records recognized this formidable piece as the world’s largest functional wind chimes.
A “must visit” for any resident or visitor is “Disappearing Path” at Inspiration Point in Corona Del Mar. Once a dilapidated trail leading to the beach, it was transformed into “eco-art” in the early 1990’s by a world-class artistic team including Newton Harrison and Helen Mayer Harrison. These pioneers used landscape and architectural elements, teak benches, boulders, and native plants, to integrate Newport’s environmental and historic roots. Some of the original elements are gone, but the site remains one of the most remarkable vistas in our city.
“Nakayoshi, Good Friends” is nestled on the lawn at the entry to the Central Library. Crafted from granite by Japanese artist Eiichi Ishida, this charming sculpture of two children embracing was a gift from our sister city of Okasaki, Japan. Another sister city gift, two granite lanterns and a friendship statue, rests among the Japanese Black Pines at Irvine Terrace Park.
Aficionados of representational art will appreciate the statue of President Ronald Reagan greeting visitors at the entrance to the Civic Center Park at Avocado and San Miguel. This piece was created by local artist Miriam Baker in 2011 in honor of President Reagan’s centennial birthday. Another notable installation is the Marine 1/1 Memorial Sculpture by Benjamin Victor perched on the majestic bluffs of Castaways Park.
McFadden Square Centennial Legacy Project, a bronze sculpture and walking path crafted by American artist Hank Kaminsky, is installed at the base of the Newport Pier on the peninsula. This interpretive piece unveiled in 2008 commemorates in words and images the 100-year history of Newport. Nearby resides the Ben Carlson Memorial Statue, in honor of the only Newport Beach lifeguard to perish in the line of duty since the service was established in 1923. The piece was crafted by local artist Jake Janz, Mr. Carlson’s brother-in-law, from marine grade stainless steel using 3-D imaging technology.
Newport has many places around town where we encounter art as we go about our daily lives. These organically placed installations are lasting and will certainly continue to serve as cultural assets for generations to come.
