The Truth Staff
The Art Tatum Celebration Column is back in place at the Huntington Center Plaza after undergoing extensive repairs. A rededication ceremony was held on Monday, July 13, to announce its return.
The restored sculpture was fully reassembled onsite, following the completion of repairs to the structural column supporting the sculpture and an offsite process to fully recoat the sculpture’s 88 black-and-white steel piano keys, as well as the replacement of silicone gaskets, cast glass elements and a complete update to the sculpture’s internal lighting system to restore evening illumination between the sculpture’s twisting piano keys, according to the Arts Commission.
Toledo City Councilwoman Cerssandra McPherson hosted the ceremony and noted that City Council has long dedicated one percent of eligible capital improvement funding to public art through the Arts Commission.
“The rededication … reflects our belief that public art tells our stories, honors those who paved the way and creates lasting opportunities for education, inspiration and community pride,” said McPherson.
McPherson also noted the appropriate return of the sculpture, just a few weeks before this year’s JazzFest which is dedicated to the legacy of Art Tatum.
The Celebration Column was dedicated in 2009 in a ceremony that featured the artistry of area jazz musicians Jon Hendricks, Claude Black and Clifford Murphy. The 27-foot-high spiraled column of stainless steel and glass was designed by Cork Marcheski, a musician, sculptor, producer who works in the Bay Area. He also carried out the repairs on the column.
Marc Folk, president of the Arts Commission, praised “the strong public/private partnership” that has been effective in ensuring the pub art has a prominent place in Toledo.
Toledo native Art Tatum, a jazz pianist, is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever. Fellow musicians acclaimed Tatum’s technical ability as extraordinary. “Too marvelous for words,” said Folk as he described what Tatum meant for jazz music and for Toledo.