Gatekeeper
Sally Rogers

Stainless Steel and Dakota Mahogany Granite, 2008

13' 9" high, 24' 6" wide, 6' deep

Located on the Terre Haute Arts Corridor at the Vigo County Public Library at the corner of Poplar and 7th Streets.

Sally Rogers lives and works in Penland, North Carolina.

Art Spaces gratefully acknowledges:

• Hollie and Anna Oakley Foundation

• Vigo County Public Library

• Friends of the Vigo County Public Library

• ST Construction

Sally Rogers' Gatekeeper resides at the southern entrance of the Terre Haute Arts Corridor. As in many of her pieces, she combines stainless steel with a warm stone (Dakota mahogany granite) in an eye-catching piece easily visible to motorists and pedestrians traveling by this busy site. The artist's subtle reference to figurative work offers a welcoming presence for visitors to the library. The mysterious space between the points of what resemble an arch suggests an entryway into the hopeful and vibrant links between art and community.

The artist based her design on research about Terre Haute followed by a site visit and interactions with many in the city. She writes I hope the symbolism of the piece adequately conveys its purpose in offering a welcoming 'gateway,' both visually and personally, to all those that visit the downtown area. I certainly felt that warm welcome from Terre Haute, and I commend the community for their ongoing efforts to include interesting and thought-provoking public art within the fabric of the greater cityscape.

For Terre Haute this piece stands as a symbol of the renewed energy taking place in the arts community and throughout the downtown.