Nature (and artists) abhor a vacuum. One thing about Providence, any space or surface left empty long enough will soon attract the attention of creative types who will paint it, shape it, build on it, perform on it, and plant it.
This time the place is Parcel 2 of the I-195 Redevelopment District, between South Water and South Main Street, and the creative type is Fox Point resident, and landscape architect, Adam E. Anderson. The project is currently named ‘The Sowing of 10000 Suns’ and you can even get involved. (I ganked this image from the project Facebook page. I hope Mr. Anderson doesn’t mind. He does not seem like a cease-and-desist kind of guy.)
Kate Bramson at the ProJo explains how this project got off the ground . . . or into the ground. Anderson had been thinking about the potential of the parcel for a while.
So he wrote a proposal to to the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission, charged with developing about 26 acres of land in a way that stimulates Rhode Island’s economy.
He titled his proposal, “10,000 Suns,” and he suggested planting sunflowers, in circular patterns with a walking path around them. He envisioned “a botanical performance to watch the sunflowers grow over the summer,” Anderson said after a day of planting seeds with about 15 other people Saturday.
File this under: “Why I love Providence.”
More help is needed: Volunteers can head down to South Main Street between Dollar Street and James Street and help with the prepping and sowing. According to #10000Suns people can just show up this evening (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday, June 9) at 6:30pm. Some gardening tools will be provided, but if possible bring your own.
Below is what it looked like today, Wednesday, June 8th. He’s a man with a plan.
