A beautiful exhibit that has made downtown Sioux Falls come to life for over twenty years is now breaking records as the largest annual public display of sculptures in the world. There will be 80 sculptures on display this year in the SculptureWalk of Sioux Falls. Additionally, there will be a new location added for sculptures this year in the Cathedral Historic District along North Duluth Avenue between 10th and 6th Streets.
It is not shocking that the SculptureWalk has been expanded due to its popularity among citizens of Sioux Falls and the visitors of the city. In 2023, SculptureWalk Sioux Falls was recognized as Trip Advisors Travelers Choice award winner for travelers’ favorite attractions worldwide.
The idea is simple, SculptureWalk’s concept is to bring art to the people through year-round beauty that is always free. Local businesses join in on the display of art by donating monetary funds to be sponsors of specific pieces. This way, artists are compensated for their work and there is increased awareness of this prominent program.
SDN Communications joins the list of sponsors for the 2024 SculptureWalk, specifically sponsoring the piece titled “Take Me Away” created by Paul Reimer. This piece is located on Phillips Avenue between 8th and 9th Street.
Reimer has created many sculptures in his career as a blacksmith and artist, but this sculpture holds a special place in his heart. In this sculpture, we can see a young girl holding a book as it appears to float away. It only seemed normal to Reimer to include a book in this sculpture because of his love for reading, this has been an important part of his life since he was a child.
In fact, a love of reading runs deep in the Reimer family, he writes, “from the time my children were born, reading has played a big role in my relationships with them.” Specifically, his daughter is a recipient of this love for reading. As many know, reading can do wonderful things, Paul Reimer writes this about how reading impacted his daughter’s life, “reading has expanded her world, broadened her knowledge, and inspired her to dream bigger.”
Not only was Reimer’s daughter the recipient of this love for reading but she also received a miniature version of “Take Me Away” for her birthday as a reminder of the shared love for reading between a father and daughter.
For both his daughter and those who will walk through Downtown Sioux Falls, Reimer “wanted to convey the power of literature and the pure joy of becoming immersed in a book and being transported beyond your life and beyond your experience to a whole other world.”
The SculptureWalk does not just include the 80 sculptures on display that will rotate through, there is also a permanent piece titled “The Arc of Dreams.” Some may see this piece of art every day on their commute to work or school but it is not a sculpture that should be overlooked. This stainless-steel structure paints a beautiful picture over the Big Sioux River between 6th and 8th Streets in downtown Sioux Falls. The “Arc of Dreams” gives inspiration with each detail and celebrates the leap of faith that dreamers take.
The public not only has the opportunity to admire beautiful art, but also to participate in voting from May to September. The favorite sculpture, as selected by the public, will receive a cash prize and special recognition. In addition to the "People's Choice Award," art industry experts will select "Best of Show" awards to honor artwork that demonstrates the highest level of artistic excellence and innovation. Finally, the winning art piece will be purchased by the city of Sioux Falls and placed on permanent display alongside past winning pieces.
Although there are too many to mention, a few favorites include:
- "Xuberant!" by Craig Snyder is hard to miss with the fascinating pop of orange. The eye-catching color made this choice easy; it really is exuberant.
- "And..." by Paul Reimer is another favorite due to the large shape and fine iron detailing included. Reimer does a wonderful job leaving you with questions about what might follow this "&" symbol.
- "Endeavor" by Bobbie Carlyle creates the sense of a warrior. Bobbie mentioned in her writing about "Endeavor" that it encapsulates a man who is reaching new heights that had seemed unattainable.
- "Be Kind" by Joe and Terry Malesky has bright colors that attract the eye and draw you nearby. This was not a hard choice for a favorite sculpture, with its good reminder and joyful balloons.
- "Flux" by Luke Achterberg is a sculpture where thinking is required. This painted steel sculpture is a mystery within itself and provides you with an opportunity to interpret what could be happening.
