New Public Artwork By World-Renowned Artist Livens Up Scottsdale Roundabout

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A new public artwork by internationally recognized artist Phillip K. Smith III has joined the Scottsdale Public Art Permanent Collection.

“TRI-HEX-CIRC” is a vertical, painted steel sculpture at northern Scottsdale’s Raintree Drive and Hayden Road roundabout. The sculpture geometrically transforms from a circle at its base to a hexagon in the middle and, finally, to a triangle at the top as it lifts more than 50 feet, engaging the ever-changing desert light and expansive sky.

“I hope that ‘TRI-HEX-CIRC’ becomes a visual icon for this part of north Scottsdale — a feeling that you know where you are when you see it,” Smith said.

Scottsdale Public Art, part of the nonprofit Scottsdale Arts, commissioned Smith for the project on behalf of the city of Scottsdale.

Smith’s work was recently on view at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), which is also operated by Scottsdale Arts. In 2022, the southern California-based artist, whose work focuses on light and space, was the seventh artist featured in the “Architecture + Art” series with the exhibition “Phillip K. Smith III: Three Parallels.”

Since then, Smith had another solo museum exhibition, “Light + Change,” at Palm Springs Art Museum and was the first artist commissioned to create an artwork for the Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda show in Nora, Italy, with “Nora Mirage.”

“It’s exciting to have an artist of Smith’s caliber in our collection because then it brings national and international attention to local artists and helps support their careers as well,” said Kati Ballares, director of Scottsdale Public Art. “It’s important to have a public art program that has a balance of both International Artists and local artists.”

As a trained architect and practicing artist, Smith is well-versed in both worlds. While his work is predominantly based in object-making, it also seamlessly incorporates the environment.

“TRI-HEX-CIRC” engages directly with the movement of the sun to create an ever-shifting light and shadow icon for north Scottsdale. The entire sculpture is cut at 30 degrees, creating 32 slices, all 12 inches high. The gap between each slice expands as the artwork lifts upward, creating a sense of float and allowing the desert air and sky to enter the artwork.

Tanya Galin, public art manager for Scottsdale Public Art, is excited for residents and visitors to drive around the roundabout and see how the lights and shadows of “TRI-HEX-CIRC” change throughout the day.

“You drive by in the morning going to work, and it’s going to be a different color than when you drive by at night when you’re driving home,” Galin said. “I love that it represents the surrounding area; it reflects the environment. That’s what I appreciate about the piece. I like that it’s public art in an unexpected place.”

After a 12-year process of making “TRI-HEX-CIRC” come to life, Smith’s career and artwork style have evolved, but one thing has always stayed the same: his excitement for public art.

“I love interacting with public spaces that do not typically identify as traditional art locations,” Smith said. “There’s an exciting disruption that happens in the decision to exhibit art outside of the white walls of a gallery or museum. Art in the public realm is free, open to the public and has the ability to transform the public’s perception of spaces that have become ‘normal.’”

SCOTTSDALE ARTS — SCOTTSDALE PUBLIC ART 

Scottsdale Arts is a regionally and nationally significant, multidisciplinary arts organization, offering an exceptional variety of programs through its six departments: Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), Scottsdale Public Art, Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation, Canal Convergence and Civic Center LIVE. Scottsdale Arts creates diverse, inspired arts experiences and outreach opportunities for the community while fostering active engagement with the arts among individuals, businesses, educational institutions and government agencies. The mission of Scottsdale Public Art is to serve as a leader in defining art in the public realm through creative place-making, signature cultural events, exhibitions and installations — contributing to the community’s creative, cultural and economic vitality. Established in 1985, Scottsdale Public Art enhances the quality of life for its residents and visitors through more than 150

Photo: Brian Passey