Sculpture Arrives at Orleans-Chatham Rotary

After years of planning, cranes hoisted the new sculpture by artist Tom Odell into place, capping off the new rotary at the intersection of Routes 28 and 39.

What is the new sculpture?

First came the flatbed truck, then came the crane. On Tuesday April 23, the heavy machinery hefted and hoisted and dropped into place a long-awaited sculpture at the Rt 28 and Rt 39 rotary in Orleans. The Orleans Improvement Association led the effort to cap off the reconfigured intersection with art and supporters say the planer steel sculpture by Chatham artist Tom Odell adds a gentle motion of sunshine and shadow, completing the look of the reconfigured intersection.

The two-piece sculpture resembles sails and is crafted from a material called corten steel,  which will gently weather and retain a soft brown patina that not only adds the sculpture's earthy impact but also protects the art from weathering over time.

Where is the new sculpture?

The  new sculpture sits atop the traffic island at the new rotary at the intersection of Routes 28 and 39 between Orleans and Chatham. When the new rotary went onto the drawing board to improve a dangerous intersection, plans also begin to ensure the traffic solution would improve the look and feel of the area as well – and that’s when the Orleans Improvement Association (OIA) stepped in.

Why is there a sculpture?

The state's original plans called for 500 plants, but with no irrigation system nor fund for maintenance, the OIA feared that over time the plantings would end up as little more than dying weeds, creating an eyesore rather than a site of beauty.

So instead, the OIA raised funds for a piece of art that would require little maintenance and create a point of beauty at the same time. A metal scupture quickly rose to the forefront and after a round of proposals the group selected Chatham artists Tom Odell.  His planar steel sculpture will age timelessly, while also creating  a sense of  renewal through its interplay of sun and shadow.