Associate professor of interior design and art shop supervisor Jesse Walp has finally put the finishing touches on a sculpture that took him over a year to conceptualize, design and engineer. Walp and his team spent Friday, July 13th transporting the sculpture from Villa Maria College’s campus to Old Falls Street in Niagara Falls. Once the sculpture arrived in its new home, it took Walp and his installation team the better part of the day to erect the 26-foot-sculpture, which was designed to mimic the flow, beauty and power of the Falls.
When Walp was first asked to create this piece of public art, he was honored. That hasn’t changed. “Now that the project is totally done, I’m proud, I’m relieved, but I’m also humbled and thankful for all of the trust people had in me, and I’m honored to have this project placed here,” he said. ” I went back to Old Falls Street today for the first time since I completed the sculpture and it was great to see people enjoying it and taking pictures in it. And I’m also kind of tired, and my hands hurt, but it feels good to enter back into real life and enjoy the rest of summer with my wife and kids.”
After installation was complete, Walp spoke briefly about his excitement and appreciation over the inclusion of public art in the revitalization of the Downtown Niagara Falls area, the inspiration for his work — the Falls themselves, and thanked the team that helped him complete, transport and install the piece. Also present at the unveiling ceremony were Assemblyman Angelo J. Morinello from Assembly District 145, Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Deyster and a representative from USA Niagara Development, who funded the project.
For more information on Walp’s ‘Arch on Old Falls Street,’ check out the news story from Channel 4 below.
For more information on studying Interior Design at Villa Maria College, visit villa.edu/academics/academic-programs/interior-design.
