ALBANY, NY (06/10/2011)(readMedia)-- The Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) welcomes the late American kinetic sculptor George Rickey (1907 – 2002) as the featured artist for the 2011 Sculpture in the Streets, an outdoor art exhibition walking tour in downtown Albany. Referred to as a pioneer in kinetic sculpture, Rickey's pieces come to life with the slightest breeze, making him a unique figure in contemporary art. Sculptures as large as 14 feet high and 22 feet wide are slated for the exhibition. "The Art of a Kinetic Sculptor" walking tour will begin on June 17, 2011 and run through March 2012. The exhibit and tour are free and open to the public. Walking tour maps will be available at area merchants, the Downtown Albany BID office at 40 North Pearl Street, Albany and online at downtownalbany.org.

A fundraising Garden Party will kick off the exhibit on the evening of June 17, 2011 at the Federal Plaza Park from 5:30 – 8:00 PM in downtown Albany, NY. Alan Goldberg, the recipient of the Downtown Albany BID's 2011 Civic Arts Patron award and Maggie Mancinelli-Cahill, the recipient of the BID's 2011 Norman S. Rice A.C.E. Award will be honored at the event. Angelo's 677 Prime and Joseph Carr will be providing food and wine. Participants can also expect music by jazz and blues group FRESH and a silent auction of unique items and original artwork. Tickets are limited and can be purchased online at downtownalbany.org or by calling (518) 465-2143 x16. The exhibit is underwritten in part by a grant from The Bender Family Foundation and funding from The Swyer Companies and Rachel Ray.

"We could not be more excited to be hosting artwork of this caliber in downtown Albany," said Georgette Steffens, Executive Director at Downtown Albany BID, "Large scale, outdoor sculpture on loan from the Rickey Foundation is a very rare occurrence. In fact, the exhibit will be only the third of its kind in the United States in terms of collection, size and scope."

The five visiting pieces from the Rickey Foundation are:

• Two Conical Segments Gyratory II;

• Rectangles Horizontal Jointed Big, Thin, Small;

• Three Squares Gyratory I;

• Six Lines In A "T"; and

• Column of Four Squares Excentric Gyratory III.

The Capital Region is home to three publically displayed Rickey pieces that will be incorporated into the walking art exhibition, including:

• The Albany Institute of History and Art (Etoile Variation V);

• Empire State Plaza (Two Lines Oblique); and

• The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Greene Building (Six Random Lines Excentric).

Friend of the late artist and art collector Matthew Bender said, "Downtown Albany is fortunate to exhibit sculpture by George Rickey whose studio is in East Chatham. George's work is recognized and sought by museums and collectors from all over the World. My family and I are pleased to have the BID exhibiting his work in Albany and we think this excellent exhibit is a long overdue enhancement to downtown Albany. We know George would be very pleased with it."

Additional Rickey's pieces can be found in the collections on the Rensselaer Polytechnic campus in Troy, the Schenectady's museum, as well as numerous private collections locally and worldwide. The current art installation at the Albany International Airport also features a ceiling sculpture by Rickey titled "Four Triangles Hanging" located behind the security check point.

Since 1996, the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) has worked to restore, promote and maintain the character and viability of downtown Albany and improve the quality of life and overall image of downtown for those who work in, live in and visit New York's Capital City. The BID is a private, not-for profit 501(c) (3) organization. For more information about Downtown Albany BID please visit downtownalbany.org or call (518) 465-2143.

####

Posted Friday June 10, 2011 at 03:45 pm by Downtown Albany BID
Last Updated Monday June 13, 2011 at 10:37 am