What makes a New York City art installation a perfect fit for the City of Rome?

Rome, along with project consultant CLA Site, announced that artist Joan Benefiel of Figuration Studio was chosen to create resin sculptures for the West Dominick Street Art Walk.

According to Benefiel, her mission is “to energize and enhance urban spaces with meaningful and beautiful public art.” CLA Site Principal, Peter Loyola, claims her work is well-suited for Rome’s revitalization goals.

The West Dominick Street Art Walk project focuses on revitalizing the Arts District and Art Walk Corridor within the state-designated Erie Boulevard Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA). The integration of Benefiel’s sculptures will build upon the Deo-wain-sta public art plaza located within the 300 block of West Dominick Street, officials said.

About the Art Walk

After receiving funding from the state's BOA program the City of Rome was granted permission to site additional art installations to enhance the Art Walk Corridor in the West Dominick Street Arts District.

Last year, during Phase I of the West Dominick Art Walk, a public art plaza was installed between North Madison Street and North George Street. The plaza includes a sculpture with art panels, benches, a granite seat wall and elements of green infrastructure, including a rain garden, and street trees with artistic tree grates.

According to Loyola, this year’s goal, adding contemporary art to the greenspace, is to create a cultural hub that fosters economic opportunity.

A committee was formed to summon public input. Members include: City of Rome Planner Danielle Salisbury, City of Rome Deputy Director of Community and Economic Development Matt Andrews, Department of State Danny Lapin, Capitol Theatre representative Jon Matwegic-Walda, Rome Historical Society representative Bobbie O’Brien, Rome Art Association representative Adam Prescott Chrisman, Community Foundation Strategic Manager Joe Wicks and Fort Stanwix National Monument Superintendent Kevin Wyrick.

“We’re using public money,” explained Loyola, “which is why we’ve held public engagement meetings along the way to ensure the locals have a say and feel proud of what we create.”

Last year, the committee sent out an email survey asking residents for help creating an artist evaluation sheet. Loyola said the public settled on six determining factors: timeliness, cohesion to streetscape, size, economic feasibility, cultural relevance and durability.

Why Joan Benefiel?

After the request for proposal (RFP) document was released, the committee received seven proposals from artists around the world– Italy, South America, New York City, as well as local bronze sculpturist. Upon evaluation three were selected for interviews.

Loyola said Benefiel was the unanimous decision.

Benefiel is the Founder of Brooklyn-based and New York State Certified Woman Owned Business Enterprise, Figuration Studio. Her work can be found in public venues across the country and is widely collected by private individuals and institutions, Loyola said.

Hoodoos – part of Benefiel's “Cast in Light” sculpture collection – is her fourth New York City public art exhibition. The abstract figurative forms of this sculpture are inspired by the natural beauty of their namesake geological formations and appear to glow from within, “a metaphor for the light that is inside us all,” Benefiel said.

The Hoodoo installation will be transferred from NYC to Rome this May for permanent installation. Benefiel will also work with the committee to create additional resin sculptures for the West Dominick Art Walk.

After years of trial and error, Benefiel recalled stumbling into Crystal Clear Epoxy Resin, what she now calls her "holy grail."

“I aim to create sculptures that look as though they are made of light, or a piece of the sky," she said. "Crystal clear is a permanent outdoor material that you can tint to create any color, just like paint. In pushing its boundaries I’ve found that when joined with a fabricated metal the two materials engage in a harmonious dance together. Hoodoos is an example of that; with just a touch of sunlight it appears as though it's made of sea glass.”

Adopting the Hoodoos exhibit

Loyola traveled downstate to visit the Hoodoos sculpture collection and examine its anchor bolts.

“It will take simple engineering to transport the sculptures – we’ll hoist it on a truck, strap it down, and head North,” he said.

Benefiel expressed excitement about the installation receiving a permanent home.

“Resin changes every day depending on the light or the angle you view it from,” said Benefield. “Residents will have a different experience every time they visit the city greenspace. It will be a magical addition.”

According to Loyola, the committee is looking into light systems that would enable the sculptures to glow into nighttime. “It can get dark in Upstate New York during the winter and we want to take advantage of the luminosity of these pieces– extending their visibility through the evening,” he said.

Envisioning the future

While the Deo-wain-sta and the Fort Stanwix National Monuments capture the city’s past, there are new themes the committee is hoping to shine a light on (figuratively and literally) with this project, Loyola said

Owner of Gavitt Associates, Jocelyn Gavitt, shared that the overarching theme for the West Dominick Street Art Walk is “honoring the past and envisioning the future.”

“The humanoid, unspecified, contours of these resin figures will add life to the city streets,” said Gavitt. “To revitalize means to bring back to life and Benefiel's work will do just that.”

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: New York City art installation finds permanent home in Rome