Fort Myers CRA, Edison Awards names artists for Fort Myers' Innovation Walk

FORT MYERS, Fla. - June 27, 2024 - PRLog -- The Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), in partnership with the Edison Awards, have selected four creative visionaries and their proposals to create engaging, transformational art installations to be built along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River in downtown Fort Myers.

The goal of Innovation Walk is to marry art with innovation, transforming and populating a meandering, mile-long waterfront park pathway with enduring installations and experiences that intrigue curiosity and celebrate human creativity. Innovation Walk builds upon the legacy of imaginative invention in Lee County – think Thomas Edison and Hendry Ford – and melds the past with future-forward thinkers.

Artists must design, produce and install projects within eight months of receiving the award. The goal for full completion of the project is February 2025.

Meet the creative visionaries and the installations selected for Innovation Walk:

"Take Off" by Marisa Morán Jahn and Rafi Segal

"Take Off" is an installation inspired by the human desire to fly and the ongoing quest to harness air and defy gravity. The installation invites visitors to walk inside and up the interior ramp, imagining themselves as a bird gathering speed to take off in flight. As the visitor walks up the ramp, dramatic views frame the sky and the Caloosahatchee River, which is home to various shorebirds. The installation includes a fun surprise at the end of the ramp: a slide that invites momentary exhilaration and quick return to the ground.

"The Blue Lights" by Adrian L. Burrell

"The Blue Lights" will consist of strategically placed solar-powered ground lights tracing the path of the Innovation Walk. The lights will have a blue iridescent sculpted surface, reminiscent of seashells, and feature embossed designs. The installation celebrates light, not only as a source of illumination, but also as a representation of a liminal space between day and night, and consciousness and unconsciousness. The title, "The Blue Lights," is inspired by blues music and the writings of Clyde Woods, representing the resilience and creativity of black culture. It's a great homage to co-creation of Edison and Latimer.

"Put Yourself in the Picture Fort Myers" by Roberto Lugo

"Put Yourself in the Picture Fort Myers" is a public sculpture installation that celebrates the Calusa indigenous Native Americans, featuring cultural hieroglyphics of their everyday life and shell technologies. Public sculpture is one of the most accessible forms of art and an opportunity to engage the surrounding community. "Put Yourself in the Picture Fort Myers" will allow visitors the opportunity to walk inside a sculpture and observe the piece and paintings at multiple angles and vantage points.

Learn more at TheInnovationWalk.com/Fort-Myers-CRA-Edison-Awards-Names-Artists-for-Fort-Myers-Innovation-Walk (https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u00...).