Scissortail Park’s feather sculpture set to be latest addition to OKC’s public art collection

Public art creates gathering spaces for communities, generating a sense of life where there may otherwise be an absence. With Scissortail Park already bringing people together, the announcement of plans for an iconic public art sculpture in the park have only enhanced the positive energy surrounding the area.

In 2009, our city passed 1% for Arts Ordinance, which requires an allocation of one percent of budgeted construction costs for new buildings, major renovations, and parks in Oklahoma City to be spent on public art. Thanks to this ordinance, $692,629 has been set aside to fund a unique piece of art for this section of Scissortail Park.

After the committee carefully went through a planning and selection process to screen and interview a variety of candidates, Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang were the chosen artists to create this landmark piece for Oklahoma City’s Scissortail Park. Klimoski and Chang often work in collaboration, co-founding STUDIOKCA. In the artists’ original plans, “Taking Flight: Light as a Feather” was going to be a 20-ton globe-like orb, positioned to appear in motion. The piece would represent a sense of momentum, mimicking the collective feeling we are experiencing as Oklahoma City continues to grow, develop, and expand. When plans were released for a similar sculpture of a large steel basketball to be constructed in the new Thunder Alley, the artists shifted their vision and created a new and better idea for the park—a colossal feather.

The new piece is a 14,000-pound, 31-foot-tall sculpture, which will resemble “a feather floating to the ground.” It will be illuminated by LED lights, making it not only a popular attraction for daytime visitors, but also a mesmerizing sight in the evenings. “Let’s meet at the feather” will soon become a popular statement between residents and visitors of our city. It will likely be a spot you tell your family and friends to meet you when you’re making a visit to the OSU-OKC Scissortail Farmer’s Market, leaving a Thunder game, or trying to meet up with your team after a large convention or event. The feather is going to be iconic.

When asked her thoughts on the new renderings, Maureen Heffernan, CEO of Scissortail Park Foundation, said, “What I like about it is it’s very whimsical…I remember when I was a kid I always thought it was a sign of luck when I found a feather on the ground.” She appreciates the playfulness and natural theme of the work, which offers a relevant connection to the park’s name and purpose. She added, “It’s going to add so much life. What I really like about the feather is that it has a real sense of place…it’s not just a generic sculpture.”

After plans were solidified to move forward with the feather, Maureen did some research on other feather sculptures located around the world. To her surprise, there’s a large public art piece composed of feathers located in Midleton, Ireland, which holds a special tie back to Oklahoma. The sculpture “Kindred Spirits” was created in celebration of a financial contribution made in 1847 by Choctaw leaders who wanted to help provide relief to the Irish people during the potato famine. They empathized with the suffering created by the famine and felt compelled to stand in solidarity with the Irish community. Not too long before, in 1831, they also experienced significant hardship as one of the first tribes forced by the U.S. government to move over 500 miles in tough winter conditions during the Trail of Tears.

The two communities continue to support each other today. Over the past year when COVID-19 presented major difficulties within the Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation, a relief fund was organized, and the Irish people stepped up to support the cause. According to a New York Times article, the majority of dollars raised came from Irish donors who “cited the generosity of the Choctaws” from more than a century before.

“Taking Flight: Light as a Feather” will be installed and unveiled at some point during the summer of 2022. As the city waits for this exciting addition to the park, Hefferman encourages artists and individuals to reach out to the Scissortail Park with interest in creating and supporting additional public art. She values hearing the ideas of people who want to bring more art into the community, and, depending on funding, there may be opportunities for the foundation to support smaller commissions.

An additional public art committee will determine the plans for another piece which will be in the lower 30-acre part of the park, south of Interstate I-40. This section of Scissortail will likely open in June of 2022, connected to the northern section of the park by Skydance bridge.

With multiple developments improving and expanding the city, public art continues to be a valued element in plans. With the upcoming implementation of this feather sculpture, public art in OKC will undeniably be brought to the next level.