Student-Created Sculpture Officially Unveiled in Downtown Northfield

Sure, there were dignitaries at Friday afternoon’s official unveiling of “The Tree of Knowledge and Delight” sculpture at the corner of Division Street and Third Street in downtown Northfield.

But the star of the event was “The Tree,” a multi-colored, multi-armed metal and bamboo statue that will catch the eyes of those passing in front of the for the next year.

With its bamboo poles stretching a bit above nearby streetlights, the sculpture was created by a collaboration of 10 students, their parents, volunteers and Mac Gimse, professor emeritus at .

The hope is that “The Tree” will be the first of a series of student-created works of public art that will grace the corner in front of the library, and eventually end up in a sculpture garden at Northfield High, said Philip Spensley, chair of the Northfield Arts and Culture Commission and one of the speakers at Friday’s event.

Funding for the project came from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council.

to read more about the sculpture.

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