Seeking art with City Creek shopping? You'll have to leave the hive

New center offers nature-themed sculptures, mural.

By Glen Warchol The Salt Lake Tribune

· March 19, 2012 7:36 am

The public art of City Creek Center rises to the level of tasteful decoration, as you might expect for a shopping mall. Fortunately, a trove of significant art is only steps away.

The artworks of City Creek include:

"Take Flight" • A walk-through, stainless-steel sculpture of birds in flight, including geese, swifts and, of course, Utah's ubiquitous gulls.

"Stream of Life" • A Mini Cooper-size bronze sculpture, it celebrates the wildlife of Utah, including the state's symbol of industry, a beehive.

"Sky Orchids" • A stainless-steel kinetic work that represents the cottonwood trees that once lined the banks of City Creek.

In addition, an interactive kiosk celebrating the 2002 Winter Olympics will grace the southwest corner of the development.

"Wasatch Grandeur," a striking oil mural by David Meikle of the Wasatch Mountains mounted on the wall of the food court, is probably the only work that rises above the purely decorative.

That's not to say that thought-providing and even cutting-edge art experiences won't be available to City Creek shoppers and diners. But visitors will have to take a short walk — a crosswalk is provided — from the complex to see it.

Directly opposite the west entrance to Nordstrom and an adjacent stairway to the exterior mall lies the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art on West Temple. For years, the art center's location next to the massive City Creek construction site and serious walking distance from downtown cafés, stores and coffee shops worked against the museum's growth. Now, UMOCA is next to a hive of shopping, dining and high-rise residences.

"It can only be a positive development [for UMOCA] to have two full city blocks of people, shops and restaurants," says Adam Price, executive director. "We are already seeing the impact."

Nordstrom has co-sponsored exhibits and events with UMOCA, including the Sundance Film Festival's New Frontier exhibit of digital and video art that's showing through May. And, Price says, Nordstrom and City Creek developer Taubman Centers Inc. will be active in UMOCA fundraising events and art exhibits through the next year. —

Cross the street

The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art offers cutting-edge art just steps from City Creek.

Where • UMOCA, 20 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City. http://www.utahmoca.org

Hours • Tuesday-Thursday, Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Admission • Free