Norfolk Arts favorite volunteer Pictured above: Mel Rudd.
“Harboring Histories’ celebrates Norfolk not only as a business and transportation hub but as an arts and cultural destination. The artwork orients travelers and serves as a way finder between the train, the light rail, parking, the river, roadways and downtown. The artwork is enjoyed by train passengers, who often depart and leave at dark and is seen at all hours of the day by downtown commuters, visitors and business people from Richmond and D.C. Baseball patrons, pedestrians, bikers, runners, boaters and perhaps even travelers on the interstate can also experience the public art. Through the passenger train line, Norfolk is directly linked to downtown Richmond and Union Station in Washington D.C.
The first corten steel sculpture represents the history of boat building and shipping layered like the outside of an oyster shell. A perforated aluminum interior lining represents the inside beauty of an oyster.
The second painted steel sculpture is in the oval shaped median in the drop off lane at the train station. It’s shape mimics the commonly-seen profile of large ships. A railroad tress and oyster tongs support a reef like collection with railroad signal lights and radar forms on top.
The third sculpture is made of aluminum and merges the biology of the Elizabeth River’s natural reef forms with Norfolk Virginia’s great shipping industry.
Rhiza A+D are Ean Eldred, Richard Garfield, John Kashiwabara, and Peter Nylen.
Print a coloring page of the artwork
Ship Shell 10’h x 16’w x 8’d
Signal Carrier 16’h x 14’w x 5’d
Stealth Reef 12’h x 12′-6″w x 4′-6″d