PITTSFIELD, Mass. — City workers on Thursday installed the second of five new public art sculptures downtown.

 

"We have three more sculptures to come in this year," Recreation Activities Coordinator Department of Community Development  Becky Manship said. "We're hoping to get those in within the next week, week and a half or so."

 

At Persip Park, artist Joe Chirchirillo delivered his "Wildflower" sculpture and city workers installed it. The cement piece will stand in the park throughout the summer and beyond. Last Saturday, "Eye of Providence" by Bob Turan was installed in the teardrop planter in front of CompuWorks.

 

"We have artists from all over the Northeast," Manship said.

 

The annual program headed by the Artscape Committee had been bringing in pieces of work to be displayed downtown. Two from last year — Tip of the Hat at the Colonial Theater by Ze'ev Willy Neumann and a series of nature signs throughout the downtown by June Bisantz — are staying for another season. 

 

"It's to install public art in the downtown and give downtown a little more vibrancy and fun and whimsical. It is something for people to come and see," Manship said. "It just enhances the landscape of downtown."

 

In the teardrop planter in front of Berkshire Bank, "Winding Walk" has been removed and in its place is "Suspension" by John Belardo. In Park Square, "Swinging 2," the moving piece of a man swinging, will be replaced with a life-sized horse made of driftwood and other materials made by  Lindsey Molyneux .

 

 "That artist took that piece of Chicago and it was a deal he couldn't refuse," Manship said of "Swinging 2."

 

New to the scene is the Whitney Center for the Arts where "Merry Go Round" by Pat Bennett will be installed. The center is the newest location to host a piece.

 

"That's going to be an interactive piece. It is made of bicycles and people will actually be able to get on the bicycles and go around as a merry-go-round," Manship said.

 

Adding to the downtown art projects, Artscape is launching a new paintbox program in which the group is asking artists to decorate the gray utility boxes throughout the downtown.