“Tidal Moon,” a large-scale granite sculpture by Steuben artist Jesse Salisbury, sits just outside the terminal near the Portland International Jetport’s “waiting” lot.
The art was donated by William Hamill, who also recently donated the Wendy Klemperer animal sculptures on the access road to the jetport.
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The donation, facilitated by the state’s leading sculpture dealer, June LaCombe, was approved by Portland’s Public Art Committee and officially accepted into the city’s public art collection by the City Council. It was all by the book and easy on the public coffers.
Moreover, “Tidal Moon” is appropriate for welcoming travelers to Maine. It’s about 12 tons of Maine granite, and stands about 15 feet tall as a proud monument to Maine’s landscape, rocky coast and geological history. It looks like a roughly hewn double helix holding a reasonably polished oval form within it.
It’s raw, tough and honest (good Maine qualities), with its visible wedge marks setting a rhythmic texture and the drill holes (for the stainless steel rods holding the piece together) unapologetically unhidden.
While “Tidal Moon” readily conveys notions of geological shift, energy and time, its forms are interesting and varied enough that people will see different things in it. While that makes it less likely to be beloved and iconic, it makes for easily enjoyed sculpture.
Salisbury is best known as a founder of the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium. Excellent examples of his work are on display at the Courthouse Gallery in Ellsworth.
While “Tidal Moon” is not Salisbury’s best or strongest sculpture, I don’t think his more abstract or more challenging sculptures would be as appropriate. Not only is “Tidal Moon” easy to take in, but its curves fit well with the jetport’s myriad new vaulted steel elements reaching between the parking garage and the terminal.
Daniel Kany is an art historian and critic who writes weekly art reviews for the Maine Sunday Telegram. He lives in Cumberland.
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