Strength in Unity
Maria Cristina Tavera & Xavier Tavera
Corten and Stainless Steel
City of Minneapolis Commission
Intersection of 35W and Lake Street
Artists Maria Cristina (Tina) Tavera and Xavier Tavera designed two lenticular artworks on the Green Crescent, a thoroughfare along 35W between the Midtown Greenway and Lake Street. The sculptures transition visually as the viewer passes by. The first lenticular which is 20 sixteen-foot-high Corten steel columns spans approximately thirty-three feet. Moving from south to north, towards the Midtown Greenway, a horse becomes visible. Progressing in the other direction, south towards Lake Street, a flock of birds appear. The second lenticular with 5 columns approximately 8 feet wide moving south to north is an image of a tree and from north to south is a flock of birds. Both artworks are dynamic to encourage movement. Both sculptures are made of sixteen-foot-high Corten weathering steel columns, with stainless steel inserts, and lit externally.
Thanks to the City of Minneapolis Art in Public Places and Solid Metal Arts.
The image of a horse was chosen because it is important to numerous Native American communities, Minnesota equestrians, and revered by the Black, African, Hmong, and Mexican cultures. The horse running free without a rider also references the dismantling of social hierarchies.
The birds are a symbol of the people who have migrated to this region as it is an extremely diverse area in Minnesota.
Strength in Unity 2
The second lenticular is a tree and the other direction is birds.
Symbolism of the tree is out of respect to the original people of this land and for who have established roots and remain in Minnesota.
The birds represent the constant flow of migration. Many in our community have suffered from a constant cycle of being uprooted and displaced and the constant search to be rooted to be established again and again.
The sculpture is made of five, sixteen-foot-high Corten steel columns, with stainless steel inserts, and will be lit externally.
Thanks to the City of Minneapolis Art in Public Places and Solid Metal Arts.
