The Chandler Regional Park & Ride is a hub of activity that provides services to downtown Phoenix and Mesa in Chandler, Arizona. A layout that needed room for busses and crowds created literal space for engagement that artist Joan Walters has realized in a profound way with her Movimiento del Viento installation.
Movimiento del Viento consists of multiple shadow screen sculptures that represent wind, leaves and grasses, all of which as natural elements of the Arizona site. The central sculpture, Momentum, is inspired by the iconic tumbleweeds of the area. It sits atop a large pedestal that anchors the entire Park & Ride.
The piece is a reflection of how artist Joan Walters interpret the rhythms, shapes and movements found in nature, without directly representing easily recognizable objects or scenes. Her dedication to turning flat, hard, industrial material into organic forms that seem to move as they reflect light can be seen directly in Momentum and the larger Movimiento del Viento installation.
The shadow screen sculptures provide a sense of place that connects audiences to the site and region. The shifting shapes and shadows are designed to evoke an emotional response from the viewer.
While some were critical of the piece when it was installed in 2008, it has been able to win over many of these cynics on account of how all of the pieces blend into the scenery while still providing a sense of identity for the site. By celebrating the natural elements and landscape of Arizona in such an abstract but recognizable manner, the collective piece embodies a powerful physical presence and spirit that Walters is focused on instilling in all of her work.
Public transportation hubs that reside in cities across the world typically have the space for features that enable further engagement but too few utilize these opportunities like the Chandler Regional Park & Ride. Movimiento del Viento highlights what’s possible when these centers of activity fulfill this potential by actively cultivating a further connection with a community and region.
