public art | ARLnow.com

Published July 19, 2017 at 10:00AM

The Meeting Bowls will be in Courthouse until November

At a time when everyone is glued to their smartphones, spontaneous, in-person interactions seem to be on the decline. But a new public art installation in Courthouse is hoping to buck the trend, encouraging people to talk to strangers and make new friends.

Created by the Spanish art collective, mmmm…, and presented by the county’s public art initiative, “Meeting Bowls” opened Monday (July 17), and will be in town until November 1, when the installation will be transported to its next exhibit, in Miami. The bowls are red, blue and yellow among other colors, and made from medium-density fiberboard.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 12, 2017 at 9:20AM | Updated July 12, 2017 at 9:45AM

‘Meeting Bowls’ Coming to Courthouse — A new, temporary public art installation is coming to Courthouse. Workers will be building 5-foot high “meeting bowls,” designed by the Spanish art collective “mmmm….,” and featuring an 8-foot long circular bench inside. The bowls, which are meant to be used by passersby, are expected to be completed by Monday, July 17 and will remain in place until November. [Washingtonian]

Roosevelt Island Back Open — Roosevelt Island is open again after being temporarily closed by the National Park Service for the removal of diseased trees. [DCist]

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County Board Approves $1 Million Public Art Installation in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Published December 15, 2016 at 3:30PM

Lynn Street "Corridor of Light" rendering

Rosslyn is getting a new $1 million, developer-funded public art installation.

The County Board on Saturday awarded a contract $968,000 contract to California artist Cliff Garten to fabricate and install “four stainless steel, LED-lighted Luminous Body sculptures” that will be placed on the four corners of the Lynn Street bridge over I-66, near the entrance to the Key Bridge.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 10, 2016 at 9:00AM

County Offices Open for Columbus Day — Arlington County offices are open today during the Columbus Day holiday, but parking meters will not be enforced, according to the county’s holiday schedule. Courts, DMV locations and schools will be closed, while ART buses will run on a modified holiday schedule. [Arlington County]

Cyclist Cited for Eluding — There was a brief police pursuit of sorts Friday afternoon, involving a cyclist in the Courthouse neighborhood. “An officer activated his lights and sirens after witnessing the cyclist run a red light,” said Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage. ‘When the cyclist refused to stop, the officer rode beside him and attempted to make verbal contact with the cyclist. The cyclist eventually stopped and was released on two citations, one for the red light violation and one for eluding.”

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Architect Chosen for ‘Landmark’ Ballston Metro Bridge

By ARLnow.com

Published March 1, 2016 at 5:15PM

Existing Ballston pedestrian bridge

An architect has been chosen to design a new pedestrian bridge over Wilson Blvd in Ballston.

The existing bridge, which connects Ballston Common Mall with the Ballston Metro station, is set to be torn down as part of the redevelopment of the mall. Demolition work on the mall is expected to begin in June. The rebranded “Ballston Quarter” open-air shopping plaza and mall is slated to open in 2018.

Around Town

Light Installation in Crystal City Pays Tribute to Neighborhood’s Past

By Jennifer Currier

Published December 18, 2015 at 12:00PM

A one-of-a-kind art installation is lighting up Crystal City this holiday season, paying tribute to the community’s history with a high-tech twist.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published October 15, 2015 at 9:45AM

Church Squatter Arrested — A man who has managed to squat in the attic of an Arlington church for three years has been arrested and charged with trespassing. An air conditioning repairman discovered the man and his makeshift living space in the attic of St. Ann’s Catholic Church, near Ballston. [NBC Washington]

New Rosslyn Sushi Restaurant Close to Opening — Rolls By U, a new sushi restaurant at 1731 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn, is getting set to open next week, after originally hoping to open last month. The restaurant will offer burrito-sized sushi rolls in addition to regular-sized rolls. [Washington City Paper]

Around Town

Public Art Installation on Sewage Plant Fence Completed

By Heather Mongilio

Published October 14, 2015 at 10:00AM

Art on the fence between the Four Mile Run trail and sewage plant

An assortment of pipes, wrenches, wheels and pink balls have been attached to the fence separating the Four Mile Run trail from the county’s sewage plant.

These items are part of an art installation by Dutch artist Tejo Remy and his design partner Rene Veenhuizen, who are known for their use of everyday objects to create works of art. The installation, which runs along the fence of the Water Pollution Control Plant on the 3400 block of S. Glebe Road, was completed in the middle of September, said Jim Byers, a spokesman for Arlington Cultural Affairs.

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Giant ‘Moon’ Part of Continuing Central Place Construction in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Published September 29, 2015 at 4:45PM | Updated September 30, 2015 at 5:22PM

Photo courtesy Dan Gross/JBG

Update at 5:20 p.m. — This article has been updated to reflect a CEB spokeswoman’s request that we no longer refer to the company as “Corporate Executive Board.”

A ten-foot-tall, 1,300 pound “moon” has been gracing the Rosslyn skyline for the past two weeks.

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The Courage Wall Is Coming to Ballston

By Mariah Joyce

Published June 29, 2015 at 12:45PM

The Courage Wall, an interactive community art piece previously housed in Alexandria, is moving to Ballston and will be unveiled at 4 p.m. on Thursday (July 2) at the Ballston farmers market.

The wall is an 8 by 12 foot chalkboard with the words ‘I wish I had the courage to…’ stamped across the top. Below are spaces for passersby fill in what they wish they had the courage to face up to, using the chalk that will be made available.

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Photos: More Animal Tree Carvings Around Arlington

By Ethan Rothstein

Published April 3, 2015 at 11:00AM | Updated April 3, 2015 at 12:05PM

An owl tree carving in Maywood, on 21st Avenue N.

(Updated at noon) More and more dead trees are being turned into animals around Arlington.

Artist Andrew Mallon, owner of Potomac Tree Structures, drew attention for the bear he carved into a tree on 14th Street N. in Virginia Square last summer and business has only improved since then.

Around Town

Dutch Artist to Design Fence for Sewage Plant

By Ethan Rothstein

Published December 17, 2014 at 1:30PM | Updated December 17, 2014 at 4:32PM

(Updated at 1:45 p.m.) Tejo Remy, an artist for the Netherlands whose work has been featured in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, is designing a fence for the plant that filters Arlington’s sewage.

The fence surrounds the Water Pollution Control Plant, on the 3400 block of S. Glebe Road, and it will be designed in Remy and design partner Rene Veenhuizen’s style of reusing common objects to create engaging works of art.