New art piece coming to Central Park in Huntington Beach

A public art project planned for Central Park in Huntington Beach will afford visitors the opportunity to enjoy moments of reflection in the most literal sense.

The Huntington Beach City Council voted unanimously earlier this month to approve the art installation, which will feature two 13-foot tall pillars made of stainless steel on the concave side, and etched brass on the convex side.

The theme of the artwork is “To See Yourself in Nature.” The reflective quality of the stainless steel side will allow visitors to see themselves and nature reflected at a glance. The pillars will be spaced four feet apart so visitors can walk between them.

At night, there will be small lights in the ground to illuminate the project.

“It was very important to the committee that there was interactivity to this piece,” said former Mayor Lyn Semeta, a watercolor and mixed media artist who led a seven-member ad-hoc Huntington Central Park Public Art Committee.

“People will be able to engage with the piece and it will draw them in, so they will experience it in the park setting. In the end, I think the project design…is original and it was specifically commissioned for our site. Importantly, it harmonizes with the unique architecture of the Central Library and the natural aesthetic of Central Park.”

The project, which will be completed by RDG Art Studio, is estimated to be completed by next spring. The cost of the piece is not to exceed $300,000.

Plans call for it to be installed east of the Secret Garden, several feet off the existing walking path, and to be visible from the reading deck of the Central Library.

“We did look at different locations, but this one really made the most sense,” said Semeta, who made a presentation to the council on July 6. “That’s one of the areas that’s the most utilized. We have events in this area like the [OC] Cherry Blossom Festival, the car show and other big events. We wanted to make sure that this was a place that was important to the community, and a very central place in our park.”

The Council approved RDG in December to complete the art. Following a virtual town hall and survey, the Design Review Board approved the final concept presented by the committee and RDG on June 10.

Mayor Kim Carr, who was also on the public art committee, said it was an interesting process for all involved in the art installation’s planning since it was all done virtually.

“I think the whole committee worked really well together to tweak this and modify it in a way that will be meaningful for our residents, and really create an iconic piece that I think we’ll all be proud of for years to come,” Carr said. “I’m really excited about it. This will act almost like a beacon, so people will be drawn to that area.”

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