San Antonio River Improvements Include Public Art

July 11, 2008 · Construction work is on time and on budget for the first stretch of the River Improvements Project.  The river itself winds past museums and the missions through underpasses and under bridges.  And it's in these unremarkable spots in the city that the San Antonio River Foundation wants to highlight with public art.

"It is the most exciting project that's happened in San Antonio, I would say, since Hemisphere."

That's foundation Chairman of Art and Architecture Frates Seeligson.  He says the river is something that belongs to the citizens of San Antonio and is the reason why settlers and Native Americans before them decided to come here.

"Its why people are here, and why not take the time to really spend the time and the money to improve it in a way that reflects its true value to this community."

Mark Schlesinger is one of the artists chosen to create a work of art for the river.  His piece will be the underpass of the Ninth Street bridge.

"What's so exciting about San Antonio and what can come of this project is that San Antonio can identify itself as a city of imagination."

Each section of the project will have themes ranging from Urban Ecology to Crafts and Tradition. And as the construction advances down the ribbon of water the search for more artists to leave their mark on the city will continue.