Sculpture removed from Lewes park

May 31, 2024 20

The “Paviljoen” sculpture took two days to install and about two hours to dismantle.

Artist DeWitt Godfrey returned to Lewes Canalfront Park May 30 to remove his large steel artwork with the help of a truck and crew from the Lewes Board of Public Works.

The Lewes Public Art Committee commissioned the piece for last year’s temporary art installation.

“I think it was very successful; a lot of good feedback,” Godfrey said. “People seemed to enjoy the sculpture.”

Godfrey finished installing “Paviljoen,” which is Dutch for pavilion, July 20, two months late. The piece was supposed to be installed last May, but the cement pad was not built to specifications and cracked during installation. A stronger base was laid down. The city is planning to remove and possibly repurpose the pad.

The art committee’s efforts to try and retain the piece were not successful. Godfrey said he is in talks to display “Paviljoen” elsewhere. He said he would absolutely work with the City of Lewes again on future projects.

This year’s temporary artwork is standing in George H.P. Smith Park. It is a series of six kinetic, wind-driven sculptures by Baltimore artist Paul Daniel. Their names are “Argus,” “Manolis,” “Bad Apple,” “Red Eye,” “Sun Tattler,” and “M.T. Skirt,” which is the one floating in Blockhouse Pond.

People have tied some of the art committee’s postcards to the sculptures to express gratitude.

The committee is planning to shuffle a couple of the pieces around.

“Argus,” which is closest to the parking lot on DuPont Avenue, has mirrors that are sending beams of light into neighboring homes at certain times of the day. That piece will be moved elsewhere in the park.