Inflatable pyramid to be erected Saturday on Ped Mall

IOWA CITY - A group of artists plans to inflate a 40-foot wide, 12-foot tall pyramid Saturday on Iowa City's Pedestrian Mall, and they want you to step inside.

'The People's Pyramid” art installation is a collaborative effort organized by Iowa City art organization Public Space One, with support from several University of Iowa departments.

The piece, which will be made of plastic and inflated with fans, is meant to stimulate conversation, said UI Department of Urban and Regional Planning associate professor Lucie Laurien. It will be installed for one day only in Black Hawk Mini Park, at the north end of the Pedestrian Mall next to the new Park@201 tower built by developer Mark Moen.

'The idea is to make it a conversation, talking about what's going on downtown right now,” Laurien said. 'The hope is to have some discussion of space and the downtown, the changing downtown Iowa City.”

The Department of Urban and Regional Planning is celebrating its 50th year, and Laurien said department faculty wanted to organize an art show to accompany an academic conference and other commemorative events they are holding. The pyramid accompanies an art exhibit, 'Reframing the City,” on display now through Sept. 27 at Public Space One. Other sponsors of the project include the UI Office of Outreach & Engagement, the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities and ArtsShare.

The art exhibit centers around urban themes and materials, Public Space One director John Engelbrecht said. Pieces include a sculpture made from hundreds of nails pulled from old buildings by Tri-Coastal Salvage, paintings of Interstate 80 signage and a sculpture of a lion made from discarded toys.

'It's a show about the urban environment of Iowa City and what materials compose the urban environment. So there are recycled materials,” Engelbrecht said.

Zenzic Press, a printmaking center affiliated with Public Space One, will hold a printmaking workshop on Friday inside the pyramid, which people will be able to walk through. The public will be welcome to explore and decorate the structure, which the artists will begin inflating at 9 a.m. It will remain up for about 12 hours.

Engelbrecht emphasized the pyramid is not meant to further any political agenda or opinion of the Moen buildings, which also include the Plaza Towers next to the Sheraton Hotel and plans for an upcoming building near Chauncey Swan Park. The developments have generated controversy, with groups like the Coalition Against the Shadow forming to oppose them.

Engelbrecht said the pyramid is simply meant to get people talking about how a new structure - even a temporary, inflated one - influences the space around it. Part of the installation will include a slideshow of photos showing Iowa City's changes over time.

'We hope to facilitate a dialogue, loosely based on the idea of Iowa City as your city,” he said. 'What do people want in their city, what works in the city? We're trying to prompt people to talk about the space they're in.”

If you go

'What

: The People's Pyramid

'When

: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday

'Where

: Black Hawk Mini Park, north end of Iowa City Pedestrian Mall

'Cost

: Free

Program

:

'10 a.m.:­ Begin inflation

'11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: ­Open house

'3 p.m. to ­5 p.m.: Gelatin printing workshop

'6 p.m. Performance of John Cage's 'Imaginary Landscape No. 4”

'7 p.m. to ­8 p.m.: Historic Iowa City slideshow

'9 p.m.:­ Begin deflation

Reframing the City art exhibit

'When

: Sundays 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. through Sept. 27

'Where

: Public Space One, lower level of the Wesley Building, 120 N. Dubuque St.

'Cost

: Free