Abstract Sculpture: Nimbus - Juneau, AK

Nimbus

Juneau, AK

N 58° 17.996 W 134° 24.890

Short Description: 

“Nimbus” sculpture is located in the plaza outside the new Alaska State Library and Museum at 395 Whittier Street in Juneau, AK.

Long Description:

The controversial abstract sculpture "Nimbus", was created by Robert Murray in 1977 and originally installed at the Dimond Courthouse in 1978. It was removed in 1984 and reinstalled at the Alaska State Museum in 1990. It was again taken down when the new museum was being build and finally reinstalled permanently in 2016 at the opening of the Alaska State Library and Museum, SLAM.

The 5 ton 15' high sculpture is made from two pieces of Cor-Ten steel, welded together to form an arch, and painted a bright blue-green. Its critics proclaimed it looked like a "Kleenex half-pulled from the box". The artist he was inspiration by the shape of the hills of Douglas Island across the Gastineau Channel from Juneau. Nonetheless the sculpture does have its following and its own Facebook page: Link

A bronze plaque near the sculpture is inscribed:

NIMBUS

"NIMBUS", BY ARTIST ROBERT MURRAY, BY WAS COMMISSIONED IN 1977 BY A SEVEN MEMBER ARTS COMMITTEE. THE 16-FEET-HIGH, FIVE-TON STEEL SCULPTURE WAS INSTALLED IN FRONT OF DIMOND COURTHOUSE IN 1978. IT WAS FUNDED BY THE ALASKA STATE COUNCIL AT ON THE ARTS, THE STATE COURT SYSTEM AND THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS.

CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE SCULPTURE'S SHAPE, SIZE AND COLOR (WHICH MURRAY NAMED "JUNEAU GREEN") BEGAN ON THE DAY IT WAS INSTALLED. IN 1984 "NIMBUS" WAS REMOVED FROM ITS ORIGINAL SITE AT THE REQUEST OF THE ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE. IN 1990 THE SCULPTURE BECAME THE PROPERTY OF THE ALASKA STATE MUSEUM, WHICH, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THOMAS B. STEWART, ARRANGED AND FUNDED THE RESITING OF THE PIECE IN ITS PRESENT LOCATION. THE NEW SITE WAS APPROVED BY SCULPTOR MURRAY.

MURRAY, A CANADIAN, WHO MAKES HIS HOME IN NEW YORK CITY, IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SCULPTOR.