Art in Public Places in Dublin, Ohio

One of Dublin, Ohio's most recognized attractions is the city's impressive public art collection. From human-sized cement ears of corn that seem to sprout from one Dublin field to the copper house honoring the region's native American culture, Dublin Arts Council's "Art in Public Places" is rich in diversity. In 1989, DAC developed the program to benefit and enhance the quality of life for Dublin residents, as well as to establish a public art tour throughout Dublin that would attract visitors. For more information about these unique exhibits, contact Dublin Arts Council at 614/889-7444 or visit www.dublinarts.org

Riverboxes in Dublin, Ohio
Riverboxes

DAC commissioned innovative and environmentally sensitive artists to create Riverboxes, public artworks that contain a unique, artist-made stamp, journal and information for Dublin residents and visitors to discover in parks located along the banks of the Scioto River. The selected artists created their Riverbox in response to artistic, environmental and historical information provided about six river access sites in the City of Dublin. The Riverboxes project, part of Ripple Effect: Artistic Impact of the Scioto River, is inspired by the pastime of letterboxing or geocaching, wherein participants combine map-reading or GPS skills and artistic pursuit with delightful ‘treasure hunts’ in beautiful, scenic places.
Field of Corn in Dublin, Ohio

Field of Corn and Osage Orange Trees
Consists of 109 human-sized ears of concrete corn that stand upright in realistic row patterns against a backdrop of Osage orange trees. Created in 1994 by Malcolm Cochran, the field stands as a celebration of Dublin's history as a farming community and serves as a memorial to rural landscape being consumed by urban development.

Dublin, Ohio Leatherlips Stone Sculpture
Leatherlips
A 12-foot-high sculpture crafted of local limestone, pays homage to the proud Wyandot Native American chief who lived in the area and was executed near the site of the sculpture. The first Art in Public Places project, Leatherlips was created by Boston artist Ralph Helmick in 1990. The head is a composite structure of various sizes of native limestone stacked and mortared. The sculpture is open on the top and extended back along its sides, creating a small enclosure that provides visitors a view of the river, the sunset, and the amphitheater.
Watch House Sculpture in Dublin, Ohio
Watch House
Created in 1998 by Columbus artist Todd Slaughter, consists of a copper house situated on top of a circular Native American-inspired earthen mound. The center of the mound is sunken and is home to prairie grass and sunflowers - garden crops of the Hopewell Indians who were Ohio's first farmers. The copper house consists of a planetarium-like domed ceiling with cutouts of household items. These shaped light portals have a double metaphor: the expanding universe and the changing nature of the family in our contemporary society. It stands as a symbol of the connection between Dublin's native cultures and contemporary cultures.
Dublin, Ohio's Jack Nicklaus Sculpture
The Jack Nicklaus Tribute Sculpture
 Created by Chicago artists Jeffrey Varilla and Anna Koh-Varilla. The City of Dublin, in cooperation with Dublin Arts Council, commissioned the tribute to Jack Nicklaus to recognize the contributions made to the Dublin community by the "Golden Bear." His vision of a championship golf course surrounded by a first-class residential community became a reality in the 1970's with the creation of the internationally recognized Muirfield Village Golf Club. In the larger-than-life bronze sculpture, Mr. Nicklaus is shown not only as the senior master of golf, but also as a paternal mentor, teacher, and role model.
Art in Public Places in Dublin, Ohio
The Dublin Community Recreation Center Relief Sculptures
 Located in the city's Community Recreation Center. "Community Time Capsule," Running Man Frieze (after Maybridge)" and "Charting History" were created by Columbus artists David Bamber and Andrew Scott in 1996. "Community Time Capsule" is located in the lobby and represents vignettes of community life with space to display items important to the community. "Charting History" represents abstracted maps of Dublin as it changed from a small rural community to what it is today.
Dublin, Ohio Sculpture Going, Going, Gone
Going, Going, Gone!
The latest addition to DAC's Arts in Public Places, is a bronze sculpture marking the passage of time through the imagery of baseball. The piece consists of a bronze baseball bat striking a symbolic ball. The ball is shaped like an alarm clock and the trajectory of its path is marked by a series of colorful yellow discs emblazoned with the words, "Going." The final disc, located on the tree line, is mounted on a bronze door and is marked by the word "Gone." The door stands open, inviting visitors to step into the woods and gather the thoughts and memories that they have let pass away over time. It was installed by Don Merkt, an Oregon based artist.