The construction of the Dumke Arts Plaza is currently being carried out by Hogan Construction.
A representation of the Dumke Arts Plaza by Sasaki Associates.
A representation of the Dumke Arts Plaza at night by Sasaki Associates.
Deann Armes, Special to the Standard Examiner
The construction of the Dumke Arts Plaza is currently being carried out by Hogan Construction.
Construction work on Dumke Arts Plaza in Ogden is nearing completion and the community is invited to celebrate the opening on Friday, December 3rd, from 6pm to 9pm
The Dumke Arts Plaza will be an art-oriented communal space, dynamic open-air gallery, and intimate event space. The square should stimulate creativity, open up diverse perspectives and anchor Ogden as a hub for contemporary art. The square will feature large art installations as well as community-led art programs ranging from small concerts to dance performances to video art. It will be a place to study art in all its forms, but also a place for everyday gatherings – lunch with a friend or a visit to family.
All are encouraged to attend the grand opening and celebrate Dumke Arts Plaza as a new arts-focused space for the community.
The event at 445 25th St. at the corner of 25th Street and Ogden Avenue will premier the square’s inaugural exhibition, a selection of works by internationally renowned American sculptor Chakaia Booker, curated by Weber State University. Also on display is the Beacon, a permanent sculptural piece that extends from the plaza across 25th Street. Invited speakers will make brief comments at 6.15 p.m. and performances will take place throughout the evening.
A unique collaboration between project partners and community members has shaped the Dumke Arts Plaza. The Dr. Ezekiel R. and Edna Wattis Dumke Foundation is the main sponsor of the project. The foundation’s donation of more than $ 2.2 million in support of Dumke Arts Plaza is intended to honor the legacy of its founders and their dedication to Ogden. Ogden City and Weber County RAMP also contributed significant funding to the project.
Image provided, Ogden City
A representation of the Dumke Arts Plaza by Sasaki Associates.
The Foundation, Ogden City, RAMP, Weber State University, and Ogden Contemporary Arts worked closely with community stakeholders to develop the vision for the Dumke Arts Plaza. The plaza design was led by renowned company Sasaki Associates, who worked with Ogden-based companies IO LandArch and Union Creative Agency. Hogan Construction is now building the square.
Dumke Arts Plaza represents the transformation of a shabby motel into an innovative public space that brings together the art community in Ogden’s dynamic Nine Rails Creative District. Inspired by the dynamic landscape of the area, the square’s design offers the flexibility to support many types of art, from large-scale installations to small-scale performances, and includes an LED screen for displaying film and video art. A raised platform, the so-called plinth, offers more space for the art program as well as a new perspective of the square and its surroundings.
The Dumke Arts Plaza is an inviting public space with interactive play elements, unique lighting, benches and water-like landscaping. A key feature of the Dumke Arts Plaza is the Beacon, a new sculpture that stretches across 25th Street and invites visitors to explore the plaza.
Dumke Arts Plaza provides an exciting opportunity to share world-class art exhibits with the community in an outdoor public space. Weber State University’s Mary Elizabeth Dee Shaw Gallery and the Department of Visual Art & Design are proud to curate the inaugural exhibition at Dumke Arts Plaza featuring a selection of works by Booker. The exhibition includes three major recent works by Booker.
Booker’s distinctive approach to form and materiality, using reused automotive tire rubber to construct complex and monumental abstract objects, speaks eloquently on issues of transformation, reinterpretation and recontextualization. As such, her work is a uniquely fitting focal point for the public’s first opportunity to experience world-class public art at Dumke Arts Plaza, itself a major civic revitalization and reclamation initiative for Ogden, the state and region.
Image provided, Ogden City
A representation of the Dumke Arts Plaza at night by Sasaki Associates.
For more information on Dumke Arts Plaza, visit ogdencity.com/DumkeArtsPlaza. Ogden City encourages community members and organizations interested in hosting arts programs and events at the Dumke Arts Plaza to visit the website for more information.
For more information on Weber State University’s Booker exhibition, visit weber.edu/shawgallery/upcoming.html. The exhibition is open to the public from December 3 to May 15, 2022. The exhibition is presented in partnership with Ogden City and Ogden Contemporary Arts and is made possible with the support of Dr. Ezekiel R. and Edna Wattis Dumke Foundation, the Matthew S. Browning Center for Design, and the Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities.
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