As if the 26-acre Pier park were not already beautiful enough, the City of St. Petersburg set aside nearly $2 million to present public artwork at select locations around the facility. Each is an original piece specifically commissioned for The St. Pete Pier.
Internationally renowned artist and Tampa Bay native Janet Echelman has created one of her famous billowing net sculptures to dazzle Pier visitors. “Bending Arc” measures a massive 76 feet at its highest point and 428 feet at its widest and is perpetually in motion with the wind. The artist titled the sculpture Bending Arc in reference to MLK’s words: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Learn More“First Flight” is a life-sized sculpture of the Benoist (pronounced Ben-Wah), the bi-plane that pilot Tony Janus flew round-trip to Tampa on Jan. 1, 1914. The gleaming sculpture commemorates the world’s first commercial plane flight and is the centerpiece of Benoist Plaza on The Pier.
Learn MoreThe pelican has long been a signature emblem of St. Petersburg, and in 2020, the City made it official by naming the brown pelican the City’s official bird. To honor the pelican, Nathan Mabry of Los Angeles has created an origami-style rendering of the city bird in brilliant red that is sure to thrill visitors at the entry of The Pier. The 10-foot-high sculpture has been fabricated from thick aluminum plate metal and coated with a satin painted finish. Look closely as you walk around the Pier; there are smaller red pelicans on display throughout the district!
Learn MoreA mosaic approximately 23 feet wide and 7-and-a-half feet high, “Morning Stars” consists of several crocheted geometric configurations called mandalas — in different sizes, shapes and colors.
Learn MoreBelgian artist Nick Ervinck will add to his vast portfolio of public artworks with “Olnetopia,” a water-like bronze sculpture with a patina finish that will be installed near the Pier Point. He describes the organic form as “linked to hollowed rocks and the wild waters” and “represents the dynamic power of life and provides a warm welcome“ to the Pier.
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