Carmel officials recently dedicated the city's newest roundabout sculpture at Main Street and Richland Avenue, featuring colorful books swirling and stretching toward the sky,
“‘Taking Flight’ joins our distinguished collection of public art, further cementing Carmel’s reputation as a city where creativity and culture flourish at every turn,” Mayor Sue Finkam says. “How perfectly fitting that this sculpture stands as a gateway between the Carmel Clay Public Library and Carmel High School, two pillars of learning that have shaped countless minds in our community.”
More than a sculpture, Finkam says that “Taking Flight” celebrates the intersection of art, education and community spirit that defines Carmel.
The 20-foot tall sculpture was designed by Jason Klimoski of the award-winning, New York-based STUDIOKCA, which is also responsible for internationally iconic sculptures such as “Skyscraper (The Bruges Whale.)” Fabricated of twisting aluminum and steel, “Taking Flight” took a team of 10 artists a year to complete. It incorporates 125 individually laser-cut books, each containing a quotation.
Klimoski says the process of selecting just the right books and quotes for the project took months.
“We tried our best to find authors who either lived or worked in Indiana,” he says. “All of the books talk about the importance of the library and learning. Between the school and the library, that felt like the right path.”
Quoting writers from Aristotle to Vonnegut, each book also contains LED lighting intended to illuminate minds as it illuminates Carmel’s evening landscape.
“The light from inside the books escapes through the words and spills out across the pages so that it looks like the magic is inside the book,” Klimoski explains. “We think of the words as letting the light out.”
In addition to inspiring young people to higher levels of learning, Klimoski hopes students will be inspired by the structure itself.
“If you can see it, you can build almost anything,” he says.
Klimoski says he's pleased with how the sculpture ties the spaces between the library and high school together. At the same time, “Taking Flight” also provides a stunning entrance to the Carmel Arts & Design District.
“If we’re going to make the City of Carmel both a tourism destination and a great neighborhood, public art has to permeate it,” says Henry Mestetsky, executive director of the Carmel Redevelopment Commission.
Mestetsky describes Carmel’s unique style as ”best-in-class urban walkability happening at the center of a world-class suburb.”
From tree-lined neighborhoods to its walkable core, from Midtown Plaza to the Monon Trail, Mestetsky says Carmel attracts a creative set of people who see the amenities the city has to offer and want to invest in the community.
“We try to offer our residents and visitors the best of every experience,” he says. "So many people move here because they recognize the amenities we have."
While Mestetsky acknowledges that it's tough for a city to set itself apart in mid-America, he says Carmel has consistently “punched above its weight,” being nationally recognized for a long time.
“As a city, we're building our own unique identity, which separates us from the other suburbs and towns across this country,” he says.
The launch of “Taking Flight” coincides with Carmel’s recent rebranding and the implementation of the slogan “Built for Big Dreams.”
“We’re in our building phase,” Mestetsky says. “This is a growth moment. It plays to both what the city is cultivating and what it’s attracting.”
“Every time residents and visitors pass through this roundabout,” Finkam concludes, “they’ll be reminded that Carmel is a place where we encourage all our residents and visitors to be inspired and to let their dreams take flight.”