Matthew Jarrett, the arts consultant leading the Charleston Landmark Project, has spent two years shaping an unusual public-art commission meant to draw visitors off I‑57 and into downtown Charleston.
The project was initiated by Mary Manley, a native of Charleston now based in the UK, who runs a noted independent bookshop. Motivated by deep family ties, Manley is funding the commission herself to create a landmark that will encourage visitors to stop, explore, and support local businesses.
Jarrett oversaw an international artist competition that drew about 140 applicants from around the world; from that pool, six artists were shortlisted, and each produced a detailed proposal and a scale model.
The proposals are being shown in a four‑day exhibition in Charleston during the Dogwood Azalea Festival, with the show open 10:00–4:00 daily. Jarrett described his role as mediator and interpreter, drawing on experience delivering large public-art projects in the UK and internationally. He emphasized clear, simple communication as key when working between artists, builders, and stakeholders to keep the project moving.
The six shortlisted proposals vary widely in material and approach, but several share a central idea: a monumental sculpture that transforms on the hour.
One proposal is a steampunk‑inspired “tree” made of pods and flowerlike blooms that open and glow with color and light.
Another is a technologically driven illusion that creates a seemingly never‑ending staircase.
A third proposes a full‑size train sculpture cut into rotating sections that reassemble into a complete train on the hour, evoking mechanical clockwork.
The fourth envisions a futuristic tree composed of large pink metallic spheres that rotate in sync, part sculpture and part performance.
Another idea is a humorous animated clock tableau featuring farmers and playful scenes of pests and chases.
The final proposal is a monumental rotating heart composed of interlocking internal heart shapes that align into a single form each hour.
All of the proposals emphasize movement and timed transformation, sculptures that “perform” regularly so passersby have repeated reasons to stop and watch.
Jarrett highlighted robust local support as a crucial element to the completion of the project. Local dentist Dr. Peterson and his wife donated a prominent gateway site on Main Street for the artwork.
Business leaders have stepped up, too. Hudson Bird is chairing the project steering group, and Mike Muller provided the exhibition venue at 101 Main Street. That local commitment both anchors the project in community ownership and helps make the ambitious public-art idea feasible.
The exhibition opens Thursday, April 16th, 2026, and runs for four days, offering residents and visitors a first look at the proposals that could become Charleston’s next landmark.
