THE RENO STAR COSMIC THISTLE

South Reno has a new piece of public art.  The Reno Star Cosmic Thistle was made from repurposed, salvaged steel from the City of Reno and was designed to resemble high desert plants found in the Great Basin region of Northern Nevada.  It was originally seen on the Burning Man Playa in the Black Rock Desert. 

http://galleries.burningman.com/photos/wolfram/wolfram.45451?owner=wolfram

It now stands on the northwest corner of South Virginia Street and McCarran Boulevard in South Reno.  The artist's name is Mark Szulgit.

My initial reaction to this art installation was, "It doesn't look like a star."  My son, who hadn't been in Reno for the last few months, immediately noticed it after I picked him at Reno-Tahoe International Airport a few days ago, asking, "What's that?" — followed by, "It looks like a sea anenome." 

In any case, I like the idea of unusual and colorful public art in well-traveled, yet otherwise nondescript locations.  It's eye-catching, it's thought-provoking and it proves that art can be all around us, not just in museums. 

And according to This Is Reno (and a City of Reno News Release),  The Reno Star Cosmic Thistle project "was funded through the Public Art Fund, Ward 2 Central and South Neighborhood Advisory Boards along with private donations from citizens, including a major donation from the William Thornton Family and Cultural Arts Foundation of the Community Foundation of Western Nevada." 

http://thisisreno.com/2012/12/highlights-from-december-5-2012-reno-city-council-meeting/

So I see it as an all-around win.