Emerging Sculpture

Public Art: Emerging Sculpture

Sculptor: © Mark Smith

Date: 1981

Description: A bronze sculpture of a man perched on a granite rock. Half his head is missing, one arm, half a leg and his butt (definitely emerging!). Ok, not the best description click here for the artist himself describing Emerging. By the way, just if you were wondering (which you probably aren't), this is one of my favorite pieces of public art in Atlanta. Despite its deteriorating condition I thought it was the most exciting and thought provoking.

Location: Located across from Walton Spring Park (now the Andrew Young Memorial Park) , Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

History of the Emerging sculpture: Sculptor Mark Smith was commissioned to create the Emerging sculpture in 1981. The structure and cast was created in a fire station on Marietta street in Atlanta. On completion the Emerging cast was transported to a public access foundry, near City Hall, where bronze was poured into 32 pieces and then later constructed. The sculpture was unveiled in 1981. Interestingly, Mark, during the casting stage, left a hand print on the left leg (to be visible on completion) "just to mark my spirit in place and time". Unfortunately I only found this out after leaving Atlanta so I don't have a photo of it ! Recently Mark has been pushing for the Emerging to be restored to its original glory. You may not know this (because I didn't) but when the Emerging was originally unveiled the back area of the bronze sculpture was highly polished and reflected the ever changing environment around it, hourly, daily, yearly and seasonally. Over the years the shine has all but disappeared and as the artist points out it no longer represents its original intentions. Click here to look at Mark Smith's presentation of Emerging now and then. Currently Mark is on a campaign to raise money for its restoration.