Fresh off his first solo exhibition at the Orlando Museum of Art, U.S. based Filipino artist JEFRí‹ is once again cementing his legacy in the international scene after winning a multimillion-dollar sculpture competition by the St. John’s River in Jacksonville, Florida.
Announced on July 22, 2021 by the Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority (DIA), a sculpture proposed by JEFRí‹ is slated to become the new centerpiece of the 4-acre Jacksonville River Park. JEFRí‹ was part of the One Park Jax team put together by Chicago-based firm Perkins & Will.
“The inclusion of that monumental piece of art [by JEFRí‹] really threw Perkins and Will over the top,” shared DIA CEO, Lori Boyer during the virtual awarding ceremony. “To me, it becomes the symbol of Downtown and it becomes the gathering place for everyone.”
Inspired by St. Johns River, which stretches throughout Florida and into the City of Jacksonville, JEFRí‹s stainless steel sculpture is a literal reflection of the city’s history. The sculpture is set to be 151 feet tall, or 1822 inches, which corresponds to Jacksonville’s founding date in June 5, 1822. The total linear length of the sculpture is 310 feet, which represents the length of St. Johns River in nautical miles.
JEFRí‹ used these numbers to form abstract images and shapes to form the sculpture. The initial image he had in mind was that of an anchor, with a series of nautical knots in the shape of a heart, the figure eight, and an “X.” From an elevated angle, it looks like it spells out “JAX,” which is short for Jacksonville. And from another angle, it could be seen as “I love X” or “I love Jacksonville”.
“That’s the beauty of public art. It creates dialogue and discussion,” shares JEFRí‹. “Everyone has an interpretation for it. It’s called “Jax,” but it’s not a sign, font, or letters. It’s a fluid form of water rising up from the river into the city skyline that forms curving shapes reminiscent of the oxbows and bends of the St. John’s River.”
JEFRí‹’s vision for the sculpture is to create an icon for the city, one that is not complex but has a history that the community that lives there will be proud of. And creating these icons has always been JEFRí‹’s passion. He hopes that the Jacksonville sculpture will establish the city’s skyline and become more than just a symbol of the community, but an icon that the world will know and remember Jacksonville by.
