May 29, 2008

First piece of Portland Mall's new art collection installed

Sculpture installation at new Hotel Modera

The first piece of the Portland Mall Light Rail project's new public art collection was installed in the courtyard entryway of the new Hotel Modera today. Michihiro Kosuge's untitled sculpture consists of four carved and polished pieces of granite, assembled on site and attached with stainless-steel rods. The sculpture is approximately 65-inches tall and weighs around 1,200 lbs. The final piece was lifted into place with a boom truck.   

Kosuge, born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, has created a series of five abstract sculptures reusing granite removed from 6th Avenue as a result of construction. The four remaining sculptures will be installed in spring 2009. The sculptures imply motion through their changing heights as placed along the streetscape.

Artist Michihiro Kosuge examines the final assembly of his new sculpture installed May 29 in the courtyard of the new Hotel Modera at 515 SW Clay St.  Made with granite reclaimed from the project, the sculpture is the first of the Portland Mall Light Rail Project’s new public art collection.

About the artist

Kosuge, a former professor of art at Portland State University, has been the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including a Visual Artist Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. His work has been exhibited extensively throughout the Pacific Northwest and is in numerous corporate collections.

Portland Mall public art

Public art is a key component of TriMet's light rail projects and the revitalization of the Portland Mall. Approximately $750,000 has been allocated to fund the Mall art program, a collaboration with project partners, the Regional Arts and Culture Council and the downtown community. Ten new sculptures are being created along the entire Mall on 5th and 6th avenues. Additionally, nearly all of the existing sculptures on the Mall were temporarily removed to protect them during construction. The sculptures will be cleaned and refurbished, then relocated along the Central Mall.

About the project

TriMet's fifth MAX line will add light rail to 5th and 6th avenues in downtown Portland between Union Station and Portland State University (PSU), and between Gateway Transit Center and Clackamas Town Center. It is the first light rail extension into Clackamas County, it will serve downtown Portland and the busiest transit destination in the TriMet system—PSU. When it opens in September 2009, it will help revitalize the Mall and poise the region for future rail extensions.