The Five Hearths
Melvin Municipal Building Plaza, Greensboro NC
Commissioned 2016 by the Cemela Foundation
Concrete, cast glass, lighting
Photography - Steve Mackley
2016
This series of sculptures serves as protective bollards for the Municipal plaza. Aesthetically responding to the Brutalist architecture, they also playfully invite people to investigate with their colorful glass, which is lit at night. Each glass interior has a theme capturing the city’s civic pride, identity and diversity.
Small moments in our lives accumulate to create the bigger picture of who we are, both as individuals and as a community. Welcoming a new neighbor, an act of kindness towards a stranger, teaching a child to read, learning a new skill—these deeds build pride and make our days worthwhile. Greensboro is built on a shared appreciation for innovation, diversity, education, the outdoors, and their role as the Gate City. These sculptures are a reflection of the moments that, taken together, have created a community and a city to be proud of, and they honor the citizens who cross through the Municipal Plaza every day.