Beet Streets

Artists

Lisa Cameron Russell , Tim Upham

Year

2008

Location

Streets Facility

Description

Local artists, Tim Upham, Lisa Cameron, and Rick Upham worked with the streets facility project team to develop a sculpture that speaks to the purpose of the streets department and the history of the site. Installed on the front lawn of the Fort Collins Streets Facility, Beet Streets features the particularly appropriate form of a sculptural oversize map of the city.

A curving stainless steel replica of the current city map used by Streets Facility crews has a smaller map superimposed on it. Rendered in contrasting color, the smaller map illustrates the streets of Fort Collins circa 1900. This era is important to the site of the Streets Facility, as it is housed in a renovated sugar beet factory that was experiencing its heyday during that time.

Containing the map structure is a brick red frame that references both the shape of the renovated beet factory's windows, as well as the color. The location of the sugar beet factory and Streets Facility building are accented on the maps with a big brass star. A bench is placed beneath the steel map and frame structure to invite viewers to relax and take ownership in the piece by offering a place to sit and appreciate the artwork.

Photos