The City of Palmdale’s public art program and the Lancaster Museum of Art and History (MOAH) will begin displaying sculptures from this year’s incarnation of the Antelopes on Parade on Saturday, Oct. 3
The beautiful antelope sculptures, created by local artists, will be in window displays at the Antelope Valley Art Gallery in Palmdale, located 38198 10th St. East, and the Museum of Art and History in Lancaster, located at 665 West Lancaster Blvd. The selections on display in Palmdale will be the works of Lori Antoinette, Xochilt Garcia, Debbie Haeberle, and Kierstyn Swann, while at MOAH, Nuri Amanatullah, Xochilt Garcia, David Koeth, and Fernando Nunez will have their painted antelopes featured.
Taking place every ten years, Antelopes on Parade celebrates the richness of the region by inviting artists from the Antelope Valley and surrounding mountain and desert communities to create original artworks on 54-inch-tall by 40-inch-wide fiberglass antelope sculptures. This year, a contest was held with thirty-one designs submitted and reviewed by an artist selection panel.
“Pronghorn antelopes are back in the valley,” said Palmdale’s Public Art Coordinator George Davis. “We had a great response by local artists and are excited to continue this tradition with a collaborative public art initiative between the City of Palmdale and the Lancaster Museum of Art and History (MOAH). The antelopes are fabricated specifically with community art projects in mind, with an attention to scale and detail that brings them to life.”
Antelopes on Parade is presented in Palmdale thanks to the Antelope Valley Art Gallery and We Are Community Arts, also known as WAC*Arts.
About the City’s Public Art Program
As the City of Palmdale continues to strategize effective methods to increase community engagement, pride and identity, public art emerged as a practical and creative outlet to both engage and inspire the community.
The enthusiasm and support for public art prompted the City to develop a strategic approach to how it will fund, manage, and review public art projects going forward. Many reoccurring themes were identified to include beliefs that public art promotes experiential learning, celebrates the spirit of creativity, defines neighborhoods, reinforces a sense of community pride, and provides a connection to local history and culture. Key recommendations in the Public Art Master Plan are to use public art as a tool for community empowerment, to enhance neighborhood character, and for equitable geographic distribution of artwork to residents citywide.
For information on the Public Art Program, please call 661/267-5611.
