The bird has landed
On Tuesday, Dec. 20, Mayor Allen Joines unveiled a new sculpture in Winston Square Park known simply as “Interactive Bird.” The 8-foot bird was designed by local artist Aaron Gibbons.
Architects group and Arts Council unveil award-winner’s work
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
What stands 8 feet tall, 13 feet long and has wings and a beak? If you guessed a giant bird, then you are correct, but you probably didn’t guess that this one-of-a-kind bird is in the heart of the downtown area.
Earlier this week, Mayor Allen Joines officially unveiled the city’s newest piece of art, known simply as “Interactive Bird.”
The giant bird made of welded steel tubing, was created by local artist Aaron Gibbons and was the winner of the UNRULY design competition.
The competition, spear-headed by the local section of the American Institute of Architects (AIAWS), in partnership with The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, encouraged architects, artists and designers to explore the relationship with the built environment through constructed architectural elements in Winston Square Park. Although they received dozens of submissions, a representative from AIAWS said what made Gibbons’ piece stand out was that it was interactive. The viewer can sit inside the sculpture and move the bird’s beak and wings.
While discussing his latest work, Gibbons a native of King, said the structure started out as a simple geometric drawing. He said once the drawing began to resemble a bird, he started trying to make it interactive.
“Once I realized it was going to be a bird, it made sense to tie in elements to make it interactive,” said Gibbons. “I wanted to get back to that raw state and the creativity of a child. I feel that it’s important that we get back to that.”
After the unveiling on Tuesday, Dec. 20, Mayor Joines was the first to put the giant blue bird into motion. Joines said the sculpture was a nice addition to the city known for its art and innovation.
He told those in attendance to be on the lookout for more in the future.
“We proudly call ourselves ‘a city of arts and innovation’ and we are moving toward the day when that is really apparent in downtown and in every section of our city,” he continued. “The new Twin Arches installation on Highway 52 on the approach to Innovation Quarter is an immediate announcement of this fact to visitors from the south, and upcoming work on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard will make another bold statement about our Winston-Salem mindset. There is certainly more to come.”
“Interactive Bird” will be on showcase in Winston Square Park for an entire year.
For more information on the sculpture or the con-test visit the art council’s official website at intothearts.com. You can also visit the AIAWS website at aiawinstonsalem.org.
