The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center will be hosting a special screening of “500 Mile Sculpture Garden,” a 1976 documentary exploring the visionary I-80 Bicentennial Sculpture Project, on Tuesday, June 30 from 3-4:30 p.m.
Produced by Nebraska Public Media (then Nebraska ETV), the archival film chronicles the project from the selection of artists through public debate, statewide hearings and ultimately the dedication of eight sculptures on July 4, 1976.
The film captures the perspectives of artists, officials and citizens, offering a compelling look at the create process, the controversy surrounding contemporary public art, and the collaboration that shaped Nebraska’s unique 500-mile sculpture garden along Interstate I-80.
The event will also include two supplemental short films, “The 1976 Revolutionary Bicentennial Sculpture Project” (a chapter from Nebraska Public Media’s Nebraska Stories series) and “The I-80 Sculpture Project (a chapter from the documentary “My Friend Norman”).
This screening marks the 50th anniversary of the I-80 Bicentennial Sculpture Project, coinciding with national America 250 celebrations, and kicks off a series of events recognizing the project's lasting cultural legacy. As part of that effort, the Johnny Carson Center for Emerging Media Arts, through its production unit Edgeworks, 3D-scanned each of the sculptures and created a digital reconstruction of one that was removed from display. The resulting immersive digital models will be available on the Nebraska Arts Council website this summer. 3D prints of each sculpture were also created for use in exhibitions across Nebraska this summer.
This screening is made possible through generous support from the Committee for the Preservation of the I-80 Bicentennial Sculptures and the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation, with additional support from The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center.
The screening is free and open to the public, but seating is limited so please RSVP at https://theross.org/event/nebraskas-500-mile-sculpture-garden/ or call The Ross at (402) 472-9100 to reserve your tickets.