FLOSC 2017
About the Competition
The 17th Florida Outdoor Sculpture Competition is on display on the Lemon Street Promenade now through the end of 2017. Many may not be aware that the sculptures found on Lemon Street are a part of a special exhibit that changes annually. This year’s competition has brought a diverse array of sculptures to those blocks of downtown Lakeland.
A call to artists was put out in the fall of 2016 asking for sculpture submissions to be considered. A jury comprised of City staff, Polk Museum of Art representatives, and members of the arts community in Lakeland gathered to review and jury the pieces submitted. Over 41 submissions narrowing them down to the 10 to be displayed over the next year.
This year’s sculptures have been created from a wide variety of media including steel, cast bronze, glass, and even hosiery. The largest sculpture reaches a height of 25 feet – “Navigator” by sculptor Mike Hansel. Another piece is inspired by the cult Christmas classic A Christmas Story. The sculpture is titled “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out” by sculptor Joni Younkins-Herzog.
People's Choice 2017
Congratulations to M. Esse on winning the 2017 People's Choice Award for the sculpture, Issue!