The Centennial, a 16-foot sailboat, will be installed in Lantana's Bicentennial Park. Rendering provided
By Mary Thurwachter
Lantana council members considered four proposals for artwork to mark the town’s 100th birthday next spring before settling on a 16-foot sailboat sculpture appropriately called The Centennial.
The sculpture, which will light up at night, will be on permanent display in Bicentennial Park, with an unveiling during the town’s centennial party on April 24.
The sculpture was designed by Aphidoidea, a Los Angeles- based creative collaborative led by Jesus “Eddie” Eduardo Magaña and his wife, Paulina Bouyer-Magaña.
It will be constructed by Southern Custom Iron and Art, a Boynton Beach company headed by artist and metal fabricator Joe Hernandez and his wife, Ashleigh, CEO and cofounder, who live in Atlantis.
“With a history of a fishing town, the sailboat is a symbol of tradition, community, livelihood and exploration,” Eddie Magaña said. “The traditional sailboat is composed of two sails, the head sail which provides direction, and the mainsail for power and propulsion. These dual elements break up the horizon and create a constant change in the composition as the artwork can be seen from different directions.
“We believe the concepts of community, character and nautical elements that resemble the history and character of the town provide a wonderful opportunity to create a sculpture that reveals and elevates the town of Lantana,” Magaña said. “The location at Bicentennial Park is also the ideal scenario for the sculpture as it provides an opportunity for both locals and visitors to engage and admire the commemorative sculpture.”
Ashleigh Hernandez said data from the Lantana Historical Society provided through the library was used for inspiration.
“We started with the 100-year-old history of Lantana, which includes the Lyman family,” she told the council on Sept. 14. “We found Lantana was not navigable with anything other than a sailboat. And so the sailboat represents the very beginnings of Lantana when the Lyman family founded the town.
“We have seven bricks or pavers as part of the artwork that represents the Lantana flower and the colors of Lantana, because the town was named after the lantana flower.”
Benches to accompany the sailboat sculpture will feature old-style compass roses with north, south, east and west inscribed on them.
The cost of the sculpture — made of either marine grade aluminum or stainless steel and capable of surviving hurricane-force winds — could be as much as $100,000.
Other proposals with a sailboat design came from Agata Ren and Peter Garaj and Eulises Niebla and Juan Grillo. The fourth design featured a sailfish and was submitted by artist Norman Gitzen.
“We have four fantastic, great proposals here,” Mayor Dave Stewart said before a unanimous vote gave the contract to Southern Custom Iron and Art and Aphidoidea. “Every one of them is that top-shelf type of quality. I don’t know how we can go wrong with any of them.”
In other action, the town approved a $48,750 contract with StarGroup International, based in Lake Park, for the design, production and printing of Lantana’s centennial book. The hardcover books will be given to residents during the town’s 100-year celebration in Bicentennial Park next April.
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