Lift Off is a public artwork by American artist David Black, located at the CityVista Condominium at the intersection of 5th St NW & K St NW in the

Mount Vernon Triangle Mount Vernon Triangle is a neighborhood and community improvement district in the northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. Originally a working-class neighborhood established in the 19th century, present-day Mount Vernon Triangle experienced a decl ...

neighborhood of

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, United States. ''Lift Off'' was created through DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Description

''Lift Off'' is a yellow, canopy like, abstract sculpture that sits on the corner of the CityVista building in front of

Busboys and Poets Busboys and Poets is a full-service restaurant, bar, bookstore, coffee shop, and events venue in Washington, D.C., founded in 2005 by Andy Shallal. The original Busboys and Poets is located at 14th & V in the U Street Corridor. There are now sev ...

. A welded (3/8-inch x 1/2-inch) aluminum plate with four crossbeams form the main skeleton of the work. Each crossbeam features a small

floodlight A floodlight is a broad-beamed, high-intensity artificial light. They are often used to illuminate outdoor playing fields while an outdoor sports event is being held during low-light conditions. More focused kinds are often used as a stage ...

on the end which illuminates the scallop like,

origami ) is the Japanese paper art, art of paper folding. In modern usage, the word "origami" is often used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin. The goal is to transform a flat square sheet of pape ...

inspired parts. A small

love seat A loveseat can be one of two styles of two-seat chair. One form – also known as "British two-seaters" – is essentially synonymous with "two-seat couch". It typically has two Upholstery, upholstered seats. Another form, variously a ...

is placed at the central base for visitors to relax and immerse themselves within the artwork, which is easily accessible to visitors who are encouraged to interact with the piece. The work was inspired by children flying kites at the

Smithsonian Kite Festival The Blossom Kite Festival, formerly the Smithsonian Kite Festival, is an annual kite event usually held on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in late March during the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The event's organizers cancelled all kit ...

Acquisition

David Black was chosen by a collaboration led by the

DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities DC, D.C., D/C, Dc, or dc may refer to: Places * Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia), the capital and the federal territory of the United States * Bogotá, Distrito Capital, the capital city of Colombia * Dubai City, as distinct from the ...

, the Office of City Planning, Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District and community organizers. $250,000 was acquired to fund the design, creation and installation of the work. A reason cited for selecting the work was that it inspired interaction and use of the new neighborhood plaza.

Installation

Concrete footings were installed in 2008 and the sculpture's installation began in November 2009.

Dedication

The second work of art commissioned for the CityVista condominium complex, ''Lift Off'' was dedicated, alongside

Inspiration Inspiration, inspire, or inspired often refers to: * Artistic inspiration, sudden creativity in artistic production * Biblical inspiration, the doctrine in Judeo-Christian theology concerned with the divine origin of the Bible * Creative inspirat ...

Ethan Kerber Ethan may refer to: People * Ethan (given name) Places *Ethan, South Dakota * Fort Ethan Allen (Arlington, Virginia) Fiction *''Ethan of Athos'', 1986 novel by Lois McMaster Bujold *" Ethan Brand", 1850 short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne *''Eth ...

, on April 6, 2010.

David Black

Black is known for his pavilion like works, which incorporate architectural design with traditional sculptural methods. Discussing the work ''Lift Off'', Black stated: "The sculpture appears kinetic as one passes by – reflecting the spirit and vibrancy of the new neighborhood,".

Community Reception

All Busboys and Poets locations feature public artworks, and when asked about his views on the new artwork, restaurant owner

Andy Shallal Anas "Andy" Shallal ( ar, أنس شلال) (born March 21, 1955) is an Iraqi-American artist, activist, philanthropist and entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder and CEO of the Washington, D.C., area, restaurant, bookstore, and performan ...

stated that:

Public art is a way to connect those living in a neighborhood with each other's humanity. It soothes the soul, lifts the spirit and touches everyone who passes by in a way nothing else can. Having such grand art next to Busboys and Poets has forever defined the corner of 5th and K, NW in the boldest of terms.

Neighborhood blogs erupted upon the works selection and installation. The work has been described as an "unfinished building construction, clad in taxi cab yellow, on steroids." However, neighborhood response has been generally positive, celebrating the fact that the work helps define the location of CityVista, the Mount Vernon neighborhood, and provides a unique meeting spot. In December 2010, the sculpture was used as the site for children to get photographs with

Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a Legend, legendary figure originating in Western Christianity, Western Christian culture who is said to Christmas gift-bringer, bring ...

for the holidays.

References

External links

David Black's WebsiteThe Triangle discussing the installation of the work with photographs of the maquette of the work.Photo of the ribbon cutting.
{{Public art in Washington, D.C., state=collapsed Outdoor sculptures in Washington, D.C. 2009 sculptures Aluminum sculptures in Washington, D.C. 2009 establishments in Washington, D.C.