Commissioned by ArtsQuest in conjunction with The National Endowment for the Arts Placemaking Initiative, the Fire Bridge sculpture that resides on the SteelStacks complex honors the steelmaking that used to take place at the location. At the same time, it represents the rebirth of site and as well as the entire community of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Intended to be an iconic landmark for the site, what is officially known as “The Bridge” connects multiple eras of and for the community.
Created by Elena Colombo, the Fire Bridge sculpture represents a physical and spiritual arc between Bethlehem Steel’s past production of steel and the future of the site as a revitalized center for the community. The site houses the infrastructure that once defined Bethlehem Steel, which was one of the largest steel manufacturers in the United States. This history has been preserved as part of a venue that now hosts concerts, festivals and tours, underscoring the literal and figurative connection that the Fire Bridge was designed to evoke.
Colombo specializes in custom, site-specific works, including firebowls, water & wind features, memorials, markers, and environmental pieces. She is focused on creating forms that are at once ancient and modern, yet simple and elegant to provide audiences with a way to satisfy their innate desire to interact with the elements.
The sculpture sits in the shadow of the surrounding mountains and is pointed in the direction of the machinery that once produced steel that went into some of the most famous structures across the world, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the U.S. Supreme Court. The piece also is engraved with all of the names of dozens of famous structures built with Bethlehem Steel.
Further underscoring how the piece is connected to the past and present of the community, it will be literally lit with fire on special occasions. The fire up top symbolizes the nearby blast furnaces that once burned around the clock. The burner is lit using a reliable, exterior-rated electronic ignition system, the controls of which are housed within the base of the sculpture.
“The Bridge” is designed to be a tactile metaphor between the industry of the past and the art of the future, showcasing what it can mean to thematically connect audiences and eras while creating an attraction that spurs attention and activity.
