The City added one of its largest and most valuable pieces of public art this week when Nashville-born sculptor and metalsmith John Medwedeff installed an elliptical steel sculpture in front of the State Street Garage.

Last year, the Public Arts Committee selected Medwedeff’s proposal for “Stoke” and purchased it for $70,000. The 3,500-pound formed, fabricated and painted steel sculpture measures approximately 14 feet wide and 7 feet deep with a spire that reaches just over 22 feet into the air, making it the largest piece of public art the city has purchased to date.

“‘Stoke’ refers to the role of iron foundries in Knoxville’s history,” Medwedeff said. “And this work is unique in that it can be observed from many angles – from inside the parking garage and the walkway above,” he noted.

The artist is familiar with Knoxville, mainly through his friendship with Dr. Alan Solomon, who has commissioned Medwedeff for various works, including the forged steel handrails that wind around his gardens’ stone steps and walkways. The gardens, called GATOP (God’s Answer to Our Prayers), are located off Riverside Drive and are occasionally open to the public during Dogwood Arts’ springtime Open Gardens tours. In 2014, the artist’s forged steel sculpture entitled “Prow” was displayed at the Knoxville Botanical Garden.

Medwedeff, who lives in Evanston, Ill., has worked as an independent artist since 1988. His work and design are represented in private, corporate and public collections throughout the United States.

“Stoke” is the final installation of public art in a series that included a metal sculpture on Gay Street, a staircase mural in the Old City and Art Deco-inspired painted steps on 11th Street. The Public Arts Committee, which reviews and approves plans for installation of pieces of art on public property, meets on the first Tuesday of the month at the Knoxville Museum of Art, 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive.

For details about additional public art projects, including a map of public art in Knoxville, visit the Public Arts Committee’s website at https://knoxvillepublicart.com.