Title of Project: Tampa Bay: Living Waters portfolio for the Portal
Artist: Carlton Ward Year Completed: 2009
Materials: LED screens, digital photography
View Images from this installation

Carlton Ward Jr.’s installation was one of several commissioned for Lights On Tampa 2009. Lights On Tampa is a biennial program of the City of Tampa, Public Art Program whose mission is to bring free access to artistic excellence. Artists were selected from an international call to artists from a jury that included writer and cultural critic, Dave Hickey; Anne Pasternak, Director of Creative Time; and Jerry Saltz, Art Critic for New York Magazine. During its 3 week run, nearly a million people experienced Lights On Tampa. Lights On Tampa brought free access to artistic excellence to nearly a million people during its 3 week run. Some installations are permanent; others were seen nightly during those three weeks.

This photographic portfolio celebrates the natural wonder of the original Tampa Bay and the humanity connected to its living waters. For Lights On Tampa, this portfolio was digitally displayed on LED screens installed in a storefront window as a prototype for the Portal. The Portal is a project in development for permanent placement along Tampa’s Riverwalk. Portals will function as a linear gallery, combining short educational statements about the Environment, Well-Being, and Tampa’s Arts and Culture with beautiful imagery. Portals will also provide an access point—or Portal—to a companion website that will further delve into each subject area. Educational content for all ages, including links for further reading and exploration, lesson plans, and resource material specific to the Bay area will be accessible.

This ambitious program is a collaborative project. In addition to the City of Tampa, partners include Southwest Florida Water Management District. </p>