The UNF Seaside Sculpture Park at Jacksonville Beach welcomed two new sculptures last week — a jumbo shrimp and a jellyfish.
Two sculptures, the wave and the skeleton, were removed and the two new ones were installed. UNF sculpture professor Dr. Jenny Hager hopes to find homes within the community for the two deinstalled sculptures and wants to create partnerships in the community to continue to showcase the students’ works.
The UNF Seaside Sculpture Park is the only one of its kind on private land in the area. Student sculptures are on display on a landscaped and designed walk on previously undeveloped property owned by MountainStar, located at 480 First St. South in Jacksonville Beach, across the street from the city’s Oceanfront Park. MountainStar Capital and the Lazzara Family Foundation provided a $50,000 gift in 2016 to UNF to support students and its sculpture program. MountainStar Capital also donated the land’s use for the year-long event.
The gift supported the creation of 11 miniature sculptures, which were entered into a contest for the public art installation. Five finalists were chosen by a committee comprised of professional artists, art professors, a Jacksonville Beach City Council member, a member of the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville and members of the UNF Student Affairs Community Council (SACC).
The project is a partnership between UNF’s Division of Student Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences, the Lazzara Family Foundation, MountainStar along with assistance from the City of Jacksonville Beach and the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville.
