Feature Details

Name: Guardians of the Garden City

Description: The artwork creates iconic columns at the entrance to the Fire Station 19. The concept for the columns was influenced by the multi-functional role each firefighter plays on the team. Also it was influenced by the community and its diversity, as well as how the community relates to and perceives the firefighters (and vice versa). The 8’ tall columns bases are articulated like the equipment fittings found on the rigs and hydrants. On the stainless steel columns are etched images of firefighters and historic firefighters from cultures from throughout history: 1) Wildland firefighter, 2) Explorers (youth firefighter program), 3) Vigiles Urbani (the first organized fire brigade of Europe), 4) Knight of Malta (where the current Maltese cross on firefighters emblem originated), 5) Edo Firefighter (early Japanese firefighter) and 6) Sapeurs-Pompiers (the first professional firefighters from the French Army of the 19th century). Each column is divided into three parts that can be turned individually, like a section of a mix ‘n match puzzle so that the figures can be morphed into any number of combinations.