Close to 100 Culver City and Sony officials made their way to the Sony lot early Monday morning for the official unveiling of ‘Rainbow,’ the new public art installation just beyond the Madison Street Gate entrance.
Artist Tony Tasset conceived the gigantic, colorful piece that soars above the lot, almost two years ago. Inspired by The Wizard of Oz, Tasset told Patch the 94ft high steel and aluminum arc that spans 188 feet across was designed to embody the “great metaphor of light and magic of the movies. I also wanted to make something that everyone understands from kids to adults,” he said.
Construction crews worked throughout the weekend to erect the massive sculpture, which reflects the multi-colored arc onto the Thalberg Building windows. They completed the entire project at 5 a.m. on Monday morning, just a few hours before its official 9:30 a.m. unveiling.
“When I drove into the lot this morning I was thrilled by its luminosity,” Tasset said of seeing his work finally come to fruition.
Guests mingled at the event, constantly snapping photographs of the rainbow from all angles.
The piece cost $1.5 million to produce and was funded in part by Sony Pictures’ Art in Public Places program and 1 percent of the City’s redevelopment fees as part of its commitment towards public art. Development of ‘Rainbow’ began in June 2011 and Carlson Arts LLC fabricated and installed the work.
In addition to the sculpture, the City hosted a poetry competition amongst Culver City 5th grade students to write an appropriate poem to accompany the installation. Out of 250 entries, Farragut Elementary student Jezebel McCarthy was chosen as the winner with the following poem:
Someone painted colors in the sky
Water colors from rain
Higher than any kite flies
Sun-dried and stretched many feet
Nobody knows where someone
And the end meet
Some believe beyond the colors
You’ll find dreams
A sight that will make your eye gleam
These colors I speak of
That shine and glow
Are the wonderful parts to a rainbow
Visitors wanting to take a closer look at ‘Rainbow’ can take the Sony Pictures’ studio tour by purchasing tickets at www.sonypicturesstudiotours.com. Additionally, every year from Labor Day through November 30, Sony Pictures offers 1000 free studio tours to Culver City residents through the Culver City Chamber of Commerce.
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