They are emblems of achievement and passage to the other side. Big bridges have been making their mark on cityscapes through the ages. In the Twin Cities, our unique location on the gorge of the Mississippi River makes our bridges as majestic as they are vital. Whether supported from below or suspended from above, they are important elements in our visual world and integral to our livelihood. And yet our bridges are wearing out and in need of attention.
The Target Studio for Creative Collaboration will address the challenge of maintaining the structural—and sculptural—quality of our big bridges in exhibitions and programs. Big Bridges invites artists, designers, engineers, and the University and larger community to engage in a creative dialogue establishing the expectations, possibilities, and aspirations for the preservation and replacement of our Mississippi River bridges.
From the Roman viaducts to our own Stone Arch Bridge, many historic bridges still stand as a sign of their times. Bridges have been on the leading edge of invention and the application of new materials. Many have been risky experiments, like the Brooklyn Bridge, which was the first suspension bridge to use steel cables (1883). Big Bridges will take us back to marvel at the artistic expression in historic bridges and look to the future of bridge design in the Twin Cities. Join us as Target Studio becomes a laboratory for the creation of innovative vision for big bridges in the twenty-first century.
To view all the bridges and the latest updates on the poetry and film contests, visit the Big Bridges website.