Artist seeks funding for 'Explorer' sculpture

The Sentinel-Record/Grace Brown ARTIST TALK: Artist Longhua Xu speaks to guests during a private party previewing his latest bronze sculpture, "The Explorer," at his Central Avenue apartment on Saturday.
The Sentinel-Record/Grace Brown ARTIST TALK: Artist Longhua Xu speaks to guests during a private party previewing his latest bronze sculpture, "The Explorer," at his Central Avenue apartment on Saturday.

Local artist Longhua Xu has thrived in Hot Springs' rich, creative environment for the past 28 years, producing numerous sculptures and works of art that adorn the city.

His latest project, a 12-foot bronze sculpture depicting an early visitor to Hot Springs mounted on horseback, will rest at the intersection of Bridge Street, Malvern Avenue and Broadway Street. Although the installation will take about two years to complete, Xu's project has already begun drumming up large amounts of support from the community.

On Saturday night, city officials, philanthropists and art enthusiasts gathered inside Xu's Central Avenue apartment to preview the sculpture and kick off the fundraising campaign. Xu set a goal of raising $250,000 to complete "The Explorer," according to a news release.

Xu's art graces the campus of CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs, Oaklawn Visual and Performing Arts School and, most notably, the downtown area near the Arlington Hotel. The unveiling of "Mother Nature," a large-scale sculpture of a woman pouring water from a vessel as deer look on, marked a grand occasion for the Spa City and its growing arts community, the release said.

"This city is beautiful. If I can make it even more beautiful, then I have done my job," Xu said.

Xu said he chose to sculpt the image out of bronze because of the material's durability. His goal is to create a piece that will withstand the test of time so his grandchildren can look at the sculpture with pride.

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The Sentinel-Record/Submitted Photo 'THE EXPLORER' A miniature model of Longhua Xu's most recent project," The Explorer," is shown in this undated photo. Xu has started a fundraising campaign to raise $250,000 for the sculpture.

The depiction of an explorer stood out to Xu, who believes all who travel to Hot Springs are explorers, in a sense. He said he also hopes that displaying a part of Hot Springs' rich culture will inspire visitors to take an active role in learning about the town's history.

"Hot Springs needs to present its culture like the cities in Europe," he said.

"I've been all over the world and I have not found another place like Hot Springs. That is why it has been my home for 28 years, and that is why I raised my family here."

His talents as an artist exceed far beyond his work as a sculptor. Dozens of original paintings hang on the wall in his apartment, each one telling a different, detailed story.

"To fully express one's emotions, one should be proficient in all areas of art, but sculptures are my favorite," he said.

The sculpture is one of the first steps in the Gateway Community Project, Mayor Pat McCabe said. According to the final draft of the Malvern Avenue Gateway Corridor and District Plan, the initiative will completely redefine three primary entry corridors into the downtown area.

The final objective is to beautify three entrances into the city and enhance visual connectivity and access throughout the Gateway Community, the final draft states. Once finished, visitors will be encouraged to explore areas of the city often overlooked by tourists.

"I hope that in the future there is art on every corner. It will draw visitors to certain locations and urge them to continue from one art piece to the next," he said.

"By the time they have finished looking at all the art, they will have explored the city."

Local on 12/27/2017

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