Massive art installation by Fil-Am sculptor to brand Jacksonville, Fla.
Rendition of “The Jax” art installation by Jefrë. FACEBOOK
JACKSONVILLE, Florida – A Filipino America sculptor’s multimillion-dollar, 151-foot stainless steel art installation will loom over the projected Riverfront Plaza with a beer garden, hotel and play area where Jacksonville Landing once stood.
The artist known as Jefrë, born Jefre Figueras Manuel, has been commissioned to create a massive installation tentatively called “The Jax” as the iconic landmark of the redeveloped park.
Jefrë has created life-size public art pieces in cities like Manila, London, Abu Dhabi and Orlando.
Downtown Investment Authority CEO Lori Boyer said the sculpture is a big reason why it chose the Perkins & Will design over two other contenders.
The Filipino-American artist from Florida celebrated the selection on his Instagram page.
“I always been blessed to create artworks for developers or buildings but this is the first time I been blessed with creating an ICON for a CITY!” he wrote on Instagram. “Thank you @cityofjax for this amazing opportunity and thank you to @perkinswill @perkinswill_miami for trusting me and being inviting me to be on your team! Let’s Go!!!”
Fil-Am sculptor Jefrë has been tapped to install “The Jax.” WEBSITE
What inspired his design? “This is really art about the people,” Jefrë told News4Jax. “It’s really about understanding the city, the people and the culture.”
During a presentation last month, Jefrë said his vision for the sculpture started with imagining the St. Johns River “vertically,” like an anchor, as in “Jacksonville is an anchor to Florida.”
The “J” is 310-feet long, representing 310 miles of the length of the St. Johns River. “The Jax” will cost $11-$18 million and is meant to become a cultural icon that inspires “postcard moments” and helps the city make money through events.
Not everyone likes the sculpture. Some say the words are hard to make out and look more like “Lex” or other words. “Welcome to Lexonville!” one News4Jax commenter wrote.
Jefrë is unfazed by the criticisms and is determined to install an iconic brand for the city.
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