Batavia bridge sculpture narrowed to five choices

How would you depict the theme of “history” — specifically, Batavia history — in a sculpture?

Fourteen artists gave it their best shot for the sculpture contest to select the second piece to adorn the Wilson Street bridge.

And, like a beauty pageant, five made the cut this week for the final round.

Those making the decision, however, didn't wax poetic about the works. One of the alderman on the city services committee, Eldon Frydendall, declined to rank them at all, as he wasn't moved by any of them.

Alderman Garran Sparks was direct. “You know how I feel about the sculptures. I don't think there are many out there (in the display) that are worth $30,000,” he said of what the city will pay the winning sculptor.

Sparks also said that many of the entries looked like they were better suited to the “science” or “energy” themes that are coming up.

And some of the works didn't seem self-explanatory to him. “You don't want to keep putting things up there that people keep saying, ‘What the heck is that?' ” he said.

Several of the works were not designed specifically for Batavia. “That's kind of like cheating,” said Alderman Susan Stark, who is not on the committee.

City Administrator Bill McGrath, himself an artist, said he was surprised more artists didn't submit ideas involving human forms.

He also acknowledged the difficulty of balancing artistic vision with the public's pleasure when it comes to art.

“You don't please everybody when you put a curb in,” he said.

One sculptor proposed a large coral shell. Corals were present when an inland sea covered what is now Batavia during the Mississippian Era, which geologists place at 325 to 360 million years ago. Those coral turned in to the limestone that was mined in the area.

Several incorporated windmills, a nod to Batavia's past as the site of several windmill manufacturers.

Sketches of the proposed sculptures were on display at the Batavia Government Center for several weeks, and the public was encouraged to cast ballots and to write comments about the works. Only 19 people cast ballots.

One Batavia artist is among the five finalists — Kathleen Herrera-Glezen, who proposed a bronze work of a classical woman, with a ribbon winding around her that would have images and words about Batavia's history.

The next step is for the finalists to make scale models of their works, typically out of clay. That could take up to six weeks, McGrath said. Then, the whole city council will pick a winner.

The prize money is coming from property taxes charged on downtown Batavia properties. That tax is to be used to improve the downtown.