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Carmel dedicates “Taking Flight” sculpture at education campus roundabout
Summary
City officials and artist Jason Klamoski marked the public dedication of Taking Flight, a large sculpture of books in a roundabout at Carmel’s education campus. Speakers framed the work as celebrating learning and the city’s investment in public art; officials noted the installation is nearly complete and will be lit at night.
Carmel officials and the artist Jason Klamoski on Saturday dedicated Taking Flight, a new public sculpture of books installed in the roundabout on the city’s education campus near Carmel High School and the public library.
City and library leaders said the work is intended to celebrate education and the city’s public-art program. Bob Sweeney, identified in the ceremony as the library director, called the piece “incredible” and said it shows how the library’s collections and programs help ideas and creativity “take flight.”
“The way that I see this piece is the name of it is taking flight, and you can interpret that literally,” Sweeney said. “When the library opens and people walk in the doors…and interact with the collection…it becomes alive.”
Mayor Finkham said the sculpture reflects Carmel’s emphasis on education and community design. “This sculpture transforms books into something magical, an upsweep of knowledge,” the mayor said, noting that “75% of our population has undergraduate degrees here” and calling the work a “generational piece” that will resonate with residents and visitors.
Artist Jason Klamoski, principal and co-founder of Studio KCA, said the sculpture’s spiral form was chosen to represent the library as “not so much as a box of information, but as an access point to information.” “We were thinking about the library…as an access point to information,” Klamoski said. “I hope you enjoy it and we had fun building.”
Event organizers said the roundabout installation is nearly finished: the artwork is in place and lit, but a seat wall that will conceal the concrete bases has not yet been installed. Officials invited residents to view the piece after dark, saying it will be illuminated (the ceremony noted the lights come on at 10 p.m.). The project was described during remarks as having been commissioned in 2023 with support from a prior mayor (Brainerd), the redevelopment commission, the city council and the community.
The ceremony lasted for a brief program of remarks from the library director, the mayor and the artist. Speakers emphasized the project’s role as public art at the gateway to the Arts and Design District and as a complement to nearby schools and library services.
