ARTIST: Erik Beerbower
MATERIAL: Steel
DATE: 2024
LOCATION: McCrimmon Parkway Neighborhood Park
COMMISSIONED: Town of Cary

Cary hired artist Erik Beerbower to join the design team in creating public art for one of the two new neighborhood parks located in western Cary at McCrimmon Parkway and Carpenter Fire Station Road. The artist joined Landscape Architects Surface678 to form the design team in early January 2018 and began working on master plans for the new park. The finished artwork for this project was integrated into the site and created memorable, distinctive, safe, and accessible park facilities that welcomed neighborhood residents and visitors.

 In progress

Concept

Research

The artists visited the Green Hope High School art class to meet with the teens and discuss what public art means to them and what they would like to see in the future park. When asked what would make a park more interesting and worth going to, the majority were in agreement that they would want more opportunities for picture-taking. The high schoolers expressed great interest in public art that they can take pictures with- as they put it, it needs to be “Instagram-worthy”. Art that is interactive was a phrase that was voiced multiple times as well. Several students mentioned that while nice-looking art is great (especially for taking pictures), they want to be able to interact with it too. Whether that means something that is climbable, or a place to leave your mark (ex: “Before I die...”) by artist Candy Chang, these art students made it clear that they want something that engages more than just the sense of sight. Other examples were mentioned as well, such as art that one can walk through like “a maze of cool walls”, hammocks, public art that also acts as a communal space for people to hang out, art that involves a water feature or lighting, free expression, etc.  

To follow developments on the two new western Cary neighborhood parks visit:

Neighborhood Park on McCrimmon Parkway