Art students across the city have created vibrant, larger-than-life sculptures made entirely of Duck Tape (no, we didn’t spell that wrong) to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, and they’ll be on view in Washington Park from May 8 to 18 as part of the Art Academy of Cincinnati’s annual “Duck Tape® at the Park” exhibition.
The eight sculptures will be created by students and alumni of the Art Academy of Cincinnati College of Art & Design, local artists, and a class of sixth and eighth grade students from The Summit Country Day School, under the instruction of art teacher Samantha England.
Joe Girandola, the art academy’s president and CEO, teaches a semester-long class every year that teaches students how to create and cover large-scale sculptures with the tape.
“There is so much magic to this DIY material,” Girandola said in a statement. “This material carries a kind of unexpected power. It starts as something utilitarian—meant for quick fixes—but in the hands of our students, it becomes a tool for building at full scale, for thinking differently, for transforming the ordinary into something incredible. In my opinion, duct tape is the quintessential American ‘oil paint’ and the theme this year of ‘America 250’ is perfectly aligned with this year’s sculptures.”
The annual exhibition has drawn crowds consistently over the years, and has even received national attention—like in 2011, when the transporting of the sculptures from Cincinnati to Avon was featured in an episode of A&E’s “Shipping Wars.”
A reception for the exhibition will be held on Saturday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., when attendees can receive free rolls of Duck Tape®, while supplies last.