The Morning Call

‘The Cloud’ rises in Bethlehem

Iron sculpture latest addition to ‘eclectic’ South Side outdoor exhibit

- By Jenny Roberts

A blue and silver hunk of cast iron and steel now sits on the median at Third Street and Founder’s Way in Bethlehem; the stylized cloud sculpture is meant to hearken back to the plumes of smoke that once billowed from Bethlehem Steel.

Aptly named, “The Cloud,” the sculpture was installed this fall as the most recent addition to both the city’s wayfinding program and Urban Arts Trail. Bethlehem has been actively increasing signage and landmarks throughout the city to improve navigation and build up its public arts collection throughout the last five years.

“I think that the community is very happy with this arts evolution that the South Side has been experienci­ng,” said Darlene Heller, Bethlehem’s director of planning and zoning. “The South Side has always been the funkier side of town. It’s more eclectic. It’s always been that way.”

“The Cloud” was installed in late Octo

ber after months of collaborat­ion between ArtsQuest, the city, Northampto­n County and British-American artist Coral Penelope Lambert. It sits near the SteelStack­s outside the ArtsQuest Visitor’s Center.

“It’s made by the very same processes that took place at Bethlehem Steel: melting iron and casting iron and using molds,” said Lambert, who melts iron at temperatur­es up to 2,650 degrees Fahrenheit. “You’re taking something that’s maybe used to make manhole covers or engine blocks, and then using that process of molding to create more modeled forms.”

Lambert said she chose to sculpt the image of a cloud as a symbol of optimism: “Every cloud has a silver lining.” She said the sculpture also celebrates Bethlehem’s historic past while looking to the future.

“The Cloud” is meant to serve as a gateway sculpture as a complement to the city’s wayfinding program that began more than five years ago to make Bethlehem easier to navigate.

The program includes directiona­l signage in downtown areas with the time it takes to walk specific routes, as well as informatio­n about historic city leaders. Bethlehem is moving forward with adding more pedestrian signs, as well as vehicular signs as part of the program.

Heller said artwork, such as “The Cloud,” will serve as a gateway to certain parts of the city. In this case, “The Cloud” signals to visitors coming off routes 412 and 378 that they are entering the SouthSide Arts District, which was created in 2015 as an initiative of the Bethlehem Economic Developmen­t Corporatio­n.

“As you’re coming off a highway to come into the city, the gateways are important,” Heller said. “They pretty much signify you’re going from a more arterial corridor to someplace that’s more urban, and now you’re entering an arts district. And it’s not necessaril­y giving people directions, but it’s really triggering the fact that this is a gateway to a new type of neighborho­od.”

“The Cloud” was funded by a $50,000 Northampto­n County grant and an additional $12,500 from the city. It’s the newest of 37 sites of artwork along Bethlehem’s Urban Arts Trail, which spans 2.75 miles.

Prior to its addition, “De Borinken, Al Mundo,” a mural at Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley, was added in June to pay homage to baseball legend Roberto Clemente as a commemorat­ion of the 50th anniversar­y of his death.

HCLV chose Clemente for the piece mainly for his compassion, in addition to his talent as a sportsman. The mural also features a strip of 23 Latin American flags beneath the rendering of Clemente, which were painted by community members and children in Bethlehem.

The Urban Arts Trail has grown exponentia­lly within the last five years. Before 2017, it included 10 works of art; it now has nearly 40.

A decorative bicycle rack project in 2017 was one of the first efforts at revitalizi­ng Bethlehem downtown areas through the arts. The racks aimed at encouragin­g bicycle and foot traffic in the city.

In the five-year period from 2017 to 2022, there have been 27 additions to the trail, including “The Cloud.”

Heller said securing funding can be difficult for public arts projects, and their benefits aren’t always visible to the public, but still they exist.

Lisa Harms, senior director of visual arts and education for

ArtsQuest, said public art helps promote tourism and in turn brings money into the city as visitors eat at local restaurant­s and stay at nearby hotels.

“Individual­s that we have coming in to look at public art through walking tours, or bike tours, they are going to then also support our local businesses,” she said.

Public art is also a way to amplify civic engagement, especially when local students are included in its creation or viewing, Harms said; it also also helps create a sense of identity in cities, like Bethlehem, whether it’s a celebratio­n of residents’ Hispanic heritage, or an homage to the city’s industrial past.

“It’s a wonderful way to beautify our surroundin­gs, but in a more impactful way,” Harms said.

 ?? JANE THERESE/SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL ?? Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds and sculptor Coral Penelope Lambert unveil “The Cloud” on Oct. 27.
JANE THERESE/SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds and sculptor Coral Penelope Lambert unveil “The Cloud” on Oct. 27.

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