FREEPORT — The Freeport Art Museum announced the installation of Atlanta-based artist Corrina Sephora’s site-specific sculpture Bridge Beyond Time: Past, Present, and Future on September 29 at the Freeport Arts Plaza located at the corner of Douglas Street and Chicago Avenue in downtown Freeport.

In Sephora’s words, the installation represents the “meaningful journey of inclusion” that the museum, plaza, and community have traveled over time. The sculptural components of the installation will represent the plaza’s past, which is “anchored in the generosity” of Jack Myers who donated the land, its present role as a civic space for the community to gather and enjoy arts and culture, and its future as a space to facilitate artistic growth and community engagement. The sculpture is comprised of three rowboats which are elevated 14-16 feet in the air and supported by elongated oars that run from the boats to the ground. It will be installed near the northwest corner of the plaza’s greenspace. Sephora describes the artwork as a bridge connecting the larger Freeport community to the museum in that it links the interior to the exterior by bringing the art experience outside of the institution.   

Sephora specializes in metal sculpture, painting, and installation. She draws inspiration from the natural and spiritual worlds and often includes imagery from the surrounding environment and community. Sephora works with themes of loss, life, and transformation within the context of contemporary society and personal reflection. For Sephora, public art “allows for art to be accessible and attainable for the entire community.” She explains that “through nautical and natural symbolism such as boats, oars, and trees, my sculptures engage the imagination of each viewer to create their own story.” She suggests that visitors might imagine themselves swimming below the boats as they walk amongst the installation. The mixed-metal sculpture will be a permanent fixture at the plaza and is sure to provide a means to make social and artistic connections for years to come.

The museum worked with a public art committee that included several members of the community who helped select Corrina’s proposal from over 30 artists who submitted their qualifications. The artist fees for the creation of the sculpture were partially funded through an Our Town grant through the National Endowment for the Arts and proceeds from this year’s Paint the Port event will help finance the costs of the work’s installation on the plaza grounds. 

“It has been a pleasure working with Corrina on this exciting element for the arts plaza” said museum director Jessica Modica. “This is just one of the many pieces of art planned for the space, which will include interactive sculptures and large mural installations. Together, these will create a place where Freeport can display its art and history in a highly visible, public setting.”

Established in 1975, the Freeport Art Museum shares the visual and performing arts with the people of northwest Illinois. FAM’s mission is to create experiences that spark imagination and engagement in the arts for all people by presenting exhibitions and cultural events, advancing arts education and excelling in collection stewardship. The museum’s collection contains over 4,000 artifacts from all continents and all time periods including ethnographic objects from Egypt, Southeast Asia, and Papua New Guinea; Pre-Columbian and Native American baskets and pottery; excellent 15th to 19th century European painting, prints and sculpture; and a significant collection of contemporary American prints, paintings, and sculpture. The Freeport Art Museum is partially supported by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. 

The Freeport Art Museum is located at 121 North Harlem Avenue and is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 12 to 5 p.m. Tours may be scheduled by calling 815-235-9755. 

Admission to the Museum is free, however, donations are gratefully appreciated.

For more information, call the museum at 815-235-9755.