Roundabout Art Finalists Announced

The list of 18 semi-finalists to design art for the new Roundabout in Duluth has been narrowed to three.

The three finalists were selected by Duluth Mayor Nancy Harris and the Gateway Art Project Committee based on design concepts submitted in December. The semifinalists were chosen on the basis of letters of intent and qualifications submitted in October. A total of 85 artists from throughout the country entered the design competition.

The three artists remaining in the design competition are Douwe Blumberg of De Mossville, KY; Michael Dillon of Milton, GA; and Koryn Rolstad of Seattle, WA.

The finalists were announced by the city Jan. 18. They were notified Jan. 11, according to the timeline established by the GAP Committee.

The permanent piece of original art will be installed in the grassy center of the Roundabout, located at the intersections of West Lawrenceville Street, McClure Bridge Road and Irvindale Road, a major entrance or "gateway" to the city. A proposed Hospital Connector would link to the Roundabout in the future.

Finalists will be given an honorarium to produce a mock up or model of their design concept and will be interviewed in February before the final decision is made. They are tentatively scheduled to be interviewed and to present their concepts to the committee Feb. 15.

The winner is scheduled to be notified March 1, and the artist contract presented to the Duluth City Council for approval March 11. The contract would include an installation schedule for the art.

AGCO Corporation, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Duluth, has donated $100,000 for the art.

The GAPC was formed by Mayor Harris in January 2012 to plan and implement the process of selecting a piece (or pieces) of public art to be located in the center of the Roundabout to welcome citizens and visitors to the city.

The GAP committee has about 20 members including artists, art professionals, city officials, an AGCO representative, and others.

~ Duluth Patch