PROMOTING THE COMMUNITY
FIRESTORM Monument To Be Erected in Medford, Spring 2022 Medford, OR | September 2021 | Robert L Barnum C reated out of contemporary flat plate metals, FIRESTORM is unlike most monuments or memorials that by tradition honor the few. It is inclusive and realizes in creative terms all from nature who suffered some level of loss during this torrential wind-driven fire that seemed at times unstoppable. FIRESTORM honors all from those who lost to those who will now rebuild. As a public sculpture, it aims to become a new cultural ground in Medford and will, by site, be viewed by hundreds of people a day as it stands as a sculpture for the next few centuries. Hazardous conditions such as winds, storms, and fires will have little impact on its stability and lifespan. FIRESTORM is a Monument and Memorial. Once erected, it will be a 20’ tall public art sculpture environment dedicated to the forest fires and wildfires that now seem to dominate the health, spirit, and quality of life in one of the most beautiful states in the U.S. FIRESTORM is a public statement first inspired by the Almeda Fire that wreaked havoc in Southern Oregon last fall. It was a sweeping storm of flames that impacted many lives, destroyed homes, and businesses, and in no small way proved how vulnerable life in an evergreen paradise can be. I grew up in Southern Oregon, and in all my travels, both professional and personal, I have never found a place that equals its charms. However, while traveling on school buses towards Klamath Falls or Roseburg in high school or junior high sports, I clearly remember the reality of forest fires viewed from a distance. Fast-forward, the consequences of the Almeda Fire changed that perception significantly. In a small but creative way, FIRESTORM aims to improve the cultural climate in Medford and Southern Oregon. As it becomes a symbolic value on a permanent site, it will serve as a continued reminder of the importance of life. Because of a handful of civic-minded people and one forward-thinking donor, it is set to be erected on the historic Merrick Motor Inn Property, a heavy traffic area in the heart of Medford, by spring 2022.
In January 2021, following a chaotic and life-changing fire problem, my brother Sam Barnum, who is the Medford Building Safety Director, and Mary, who is a well-respected medical practitioner in Medford, suggested that a public art statement was needed to create a unique and culturally active place for the community. Thus, I began working on the FIRESTORM sculpture project as a memorial and a monument dedicated to forest fire and wildfire challenges. Over the months of working on the design, including the FIRESTORM model now being displayed at Medford Rogue Gallery, a selected few representatives from the city got involved and contributed to the project through their individual histories and professional backgrounds. We began working on a site but quickly faced some funding FIRESTORM, a 20-foot tall public art sculpture environment by Robert L. Barnum.
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The Business Review | September 2021
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