The iconic poles and concrete orbs of an art installation in Rosslyn are celebrating their 40th anniversary this week.
Members of the public are invited to celebrate Dark Star Park Day this Thursday, Aug. 1. At approximately 9:32 a.m., the park “performs a special effect” that happens only once a year.
“Shadows cast by the spheres and poles of this landmark outdoor sculpture align with their permanent forms on the ground, marking the moment of Rosslyn’s founding,” an event page says. “Cross your fingers for a sunny day!”
The annual shadow alignment commemorates the day William Henry Ross acquired the land that later became Rosslyn on Aug. 1, 1860. This year’s celebration will include light refreshments, an official county proclamation and the debut of a new poem by Arlington Poet Laureate Courtney LeBlanc, honoring Dark Star Park and the work of its artist, Nancy Holt.
Attendees at this year’s event, which begins at 9 a.m., can pick up limited-edition posters while supplies last.
The park at 1655 N. Fort Myer Drive was Arlington’s first major commissioned public art project and one of the first major examples of “integrated public art” in the United States, a county press release says. Arlington is now home to more than 80 permanent public works of art.
“In Dark Star Park, Holt critically contemplates the physical and ideological structures of land ownership, while reflecting on the relationship between the cosmos above and the earth under our feet,” the release says. “Dark Star Park is among the late artist’s few major artworks in an accessible urban area, and she described the spheres as being stars that have fallen to the earth.”
The release notes that “Arlington Public Art’s 40th anniversary year celebration has been taking place throughout 2023-2024 and included a series of events and activations highlighting the entire collection.”
