Rendering courtesy of Ilan Averbuch
Dublin’s newest large-scale permanent artwork project is underway. The Boat in the Field, by Long Island-based public artist Ilan Averbuch, consists of a massive skeletal structure of a boat, made from petrified stone and covered with a sloping round roof, appearing as if it’s frozen weightlessly in mid-air. Below, steel beams, some straight and some bent, appear in motion, possibly having walked out of the nearby Karrer Pond. The sculpture will be 25 feet tall, 18 feet wide and 15 feet deep and created from recycled and Ohio-sourced industrial materials such as stone and Corten weathering steel.
The sculpture site is in proximity to, but out of sight of the pond in the M.L. “Red” Trabue Nature Reserve in Dublin, at the juncture of two well-traveled paths, one paved and one natural.
“The sculpture should provide a space in one’s mind to connect or perhaps better articulate personal interpretations of this artwork based on their individual experiences with larger issues of culture, community, nature and the state of our planet Earth,” Averbuch said in a virtual presentation to the community in January.
“The roofed tower usually represents such common human aspirations as stability, shelter and rootedness,” he added. “Symbolically, the boat contradicts these representations. It illustrates a desire for transience, a journey to the unknown which lies beyond the horizon. In juxtaposition, these images represent stasis and kinesis, creating an artwork depicting two forces vital to the human condition.”
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Averbuch’s work with natural, elemental and recycled materials can be found in public and private collections in Germany, Israel, Denmark, India, Canada, France, Switzerland and throughout the United States. He was educated in New York and London and has been selected for 10 major commissions in the past five years. His site-specific artwork will serve as both a landmark and a destination for years to come. The sculpture is slated for installation in the summer of 2023.
“I find Ilan’s proposed artwork alluring,” says Dublin Arts Council Executive Director David S. Guion. “It raises my curiosity level and promotes discussion, interpretation and response. The intended meaning of the artwork is not just about the artist’s expression but about the viewer’s own experience and how the viewer interacts with this unique creation.”
Artist selection
Averbuch was unanimously selected for the $150,000 commission from an initial pool of 151 applicants from 33 states. The selection committee included community members who represent diversity, artistic, leadership, environmental, educational and administrative disciplines: Kristin Helmick-Brunet; Neha Dadich, Ph.D.; Mary H. Gray; David S. Guion, Ph.D.; Michael Hiatt; Joan Langholz Krause, Ph.D.; Char Norman; and Barbara Ray. The selection committee for Feather Point in Dublin’s Kosciuszko Park also selected Averbuch as a finalist in 2016. Two separate groups of professionals, in separate processes, have now been drawn to the artist and have envisioned his artwork in Dublin’s collection.
M.L. “Red” Trabue Nature Reserve
M.L. “Red” Trabue Nature Reserve is a 90-acre park with entrances located at 6835 Avery-Muirfield Dr. and 6566 Post Rd. in Dublin. The park is best known for its boardwalk, and pond for fishing and observation. Other features include amphibian-filled vernal pools, an arboretum, walking and biking paths, and the historic Fleming cabin, built in 1865.
The reserve was named after “Red” Trabue, a Dublin naturalist, journalist and television pioneer. Trabue was a writer for the Columbus Dispatch newspaper, specializing in outdoor activities, and also served as host for The Outdoor Show, one of the longest running locally produced television shows in Columbus history. He is remembered for his charismatic, friendly demeanor and for the passion he shared for outdoor sports. Trabue’s granddaughter and great-granddaughter were both in the audience during Averbuch’s virtual presentation and expressed support for the project, citing Red’s connection to fishing and the many hours they spent in boats with him. Just as Trabue’s life impacted the land, The Boat in the Field will inspire visitors for generations to come.
Dublin’s Art in Public Places program
The Dublin Art in Public Places program brings Dublin local, regional, national and international attention; enhances quality of life; and delivers economic impact to the community. The permanent public artwork is funded with hotel/motel tax dollars, which are collected from visitor and corporate employee travel. For every overnight stay in one of Dublin’s hotels, a 6 percent tax is collected and invested back into the community through designated projects and events that enhance Dublin visitor and resident experiences. The Dublin Art in Public Places program is one of these designated projects.
The Dublin Art in Public Places program began in 1988 and has grown to more than 60 large and small-scale permanent, temporary and interactive public art projects today through a collaboration between City of Dublin and Dublin Arts Council. The collection was most recently valued at $3.8 million.
Janet Cooper is director of engagement,Dublin Arts Council. Feedback welcomeat feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
