Art will be placed on Eastern Market Metro Plaza (EMMP) Park this month.
At their March 9 meeting, Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6B unanimously supported a proposal from Eastern Market Main Street (EMMS) and The National Cherry Blossom Festival to place art on parcel 1 of the plaza, site of the new playground.
The sculpture is part of Art in Bloom, a community-wide public art exhibition premiering with the 2021 National Cherry Blossom Festival. Presented by Amazon, Art in Bloom will showcase the visual arts and reveal the creative and whimsical sides of the Festival and the nation’s capital.
“The Art in Bloom exhibition will radiate springtime across the District and beyond,” said Diana Mayhew, president and CEO of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. “We can’t wait for everyone to see the artists’ designs on these larger-than-life blossoms.”
According to Commissioner for the area Steve Holtzman (6B05), the base for the sculpture will be delivered in the next few days, while the 1200-pound sculpture itself is scheduled to be installed around March 18th and will remain for about ten weeks.
EMMS worked with ANC6B to decide on the placement for the sculpture to maximize community access and benefit. Commissioners agreed that the circular grassy plot to the south of the playground was not idea due to placement of irrigation, identifying the splash pad as the ideal site. The splash pad has been unused due to COVID-19 precautions.
Art in Bloom sculptures will be installed in all eight D.C. wards, plus Maryland’s National Harbor and the Aurora Hills and National Landing neighborhoods in Northern Virginia. Debuting on March 20, the Festival’s opening day, the artists’ unique designs are sure to inspire loads of fun and memorable moments. Residents and visitors to the area, following the Art in Bloom map, can go on a Blossom Hunt – finding the 3D sculptures, posting photos to social media, and tagging their posts with the #ArtInBloom hashtag.
At the end of the display period, through May 31, winners will be randomly selected to receive Festival prize packages.
The Festival received 129 submissions from local and national artists for Art in Bloom, and is pleased to announce the project’s 26 talented artists:
- Hiba Alyawer, Happy Dots
- Elizabeth Ashe, Hive Blossom
- Rachael Bohlander, Cherry Blossom Picnic
- Kristy Cole, Caged Reflection
- Lea Cragie-Marshall, Crane’s Dance
- Diane D’Costa & Nia Keturah Calhoun, The Real Landmarks
- Jaleel Davis, Blossoms on the Mall
- Ameena Fareeda, Renewal Blossom
- Aaron Feinstein, HOPE
- Andrew Funk, Cherry Tattoo
- Jon Gann, Risaikuru (Recycle)
- Kaila Garcia, Flower Kuties
- Alex Goastier, Full Circle Blossom
- David Greenfieldboyce, Petal to the Metal!
- Patrick Guyton, The Gift
- Rashin Kheiriyeh, Cherry Garden
- Jesse Kirsch, ABCDC
- Woojung Lee, 2021
- Matt Long, Petal Party
- My Ly and Jaclyn Stallard, Community Grid
- Josue “Corinto” Martinez, Cherry Blossom Swirl Freestyle
- Cory Oberndorfer, Ice Flavors
- Peijisan Art, Chiyogami Compilation
- Sandra Pérez-Ramos, Celebration
- Steve Rands, MXY-7
- Tracie Griffith Tso, Sakura+Seasons
The 2021 National Cherry Blossom Festival will offer engaging virtual and personal experiences through unique programs, activities, and events that honor the Festival’s deep traditions and bring the celebration of spring into the hearts and homes of communities throughout the D.C. area and beyond.
Lead sponsors (Leadership Circle) for this year’s Festival are Amazon and Events DC. For more information, visit nationalcherryblossomfestival.org and follow the Festival’s social media pages on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the world’s great celebrations of spring. The 2021 Festival, March 20-April 11, will include three weeks of events featuring diverse and creative programming promoting traditional and contemporary arts and culture, natural beauty, and community spirit.
Art in Bloom is being presented by Amazon and supported by Clark Construction Group. Other program supporters include Arena Social Arts Club, Chase, Clark Concrete, DowntownDC Business Improvement District, Embassy of Japan, JBG Smith, Mars, Incorporated, Miller & Long Concrete Construction, National Harbor, and National Landing. Art in Bloom will culminate with a Blossom Auction in late spring 2021. Proceeds from the sale of the sculptures will support National Cherry Blossom Festival programs and community initiatives.
Visit nationalcherryblossomfestival.org or call 877.44.BLOOM for more information, and check out Facebook (@CherryBlossomFestival), Instagram (@CherryBlossFest), and Twitter (@CherryBlossFest).
