If you were part of the record-setting crowds attending shows at the Palladium last week, you might have seen our new outdoor sculpture. It’s located on our 3rd Street side and is very hard to miss.
The sculpture is called “Soul Survivor” and it is a work by Louisiana artist Russell Whiting. It had been part of the Gulf Coast Museum collection, which was aquired by St. Petersburg College when that museum closed its doors.
I got to pick a sculpture for the Palladium and “Soul Survivor” was my first choice. When I first saw it, it reminded me of two dancers on stage. But after our Cirque des Voix show last weekend, it conjures an image of the two-man balancing act that mesmerized our audiences.
Whatever it reminds you of, I think you’ll agree it’s a powerful addition to the Palladium site. Thanks for the artist, to the college curator – Christine Renc-Carter – and to arts supporter Bonita Cobb for help in making this happen.
We will be dedicating the scupture at a future date when the artist is in town. Stay tuned for details. In the meantime, enjoy the sculpture, which is now surrounded by beautiful landscaping, courtesy of the landscaping crew at SPC.
2 comments
Paul,
We drove over from Tampa on Friday night to attend the Cirque des Voix and thoroughly enjoyed the show. I was amazed that you were able to squeeze in a full choir, orchestra and circus apparatus. It made for a very intimate setting. The combination of human voice, instrument and exceptional acts of physical strength and skill made for a truly unique experience.
I did notice the sculpture out front of the Palladium and thought perhaps that I may have just overlooked it on my previous trips to the Palladium. While it does remind me of two dancers, I likewise immediately thought of the two young men who that very evening had performed such a mesmerizing show of strength and balance.
Keep up the great work. The variety of shows you have booked provides something for everyone. We’ll be back in just a couple of weeks to take in both Blues Festival After Concerts friday and saturday nights.We went to both last year and were blown away with the performances. In our opinion it exceeded the actual Blues Festival. Intimate setting, air conditioning, small crowd, great acoustics…need I say more?
We previously caught Albert Castiglia’s concert at the Side Door Caberet last year and can’t wait to see this Blues guitarist master once again!
Tim Hayes
Tim – Thanks for the kind words. We’re busy but having lots of fun down here. Albert will be at the Blues Fest After Party and I’m trying to get him back here this summer or fall for a Side Door Show. See you soon at the theater!