“Bounce” and “Swing”
Public Art that Reflects the History of Place and the Exuberance of America's Pastime.
As part of their Art in Public Places program, the City of Surprise, AZ, selected RSP to create two civic sculptures at Surprise Stadium, the spring training facility for the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers.
The pieces, appropriately entitled Bounce and Swing, celebrate the City’s history as much as they embody the visceral joy of America’s favorite pastime: a day at the ballpark. Bounce, located at the stadium’s first base entrance, traces the looping trajectory of a baseball knocked out of the park. The ball’s path forms a series of red arches, each perforated with a custom waterjet-cut pattern that alludes to Surprise’s agricultural roots.
Swing, located at the third base entrance, captures the graceful kineticism of a baseball bat flying through the air. Inspired by the stop motion photography players use to analyze their swing, the installation seems to morph and shift from every angle, casting a shadow that mimics the stitching of a baseball.
Both pieces have become a point of civic pride for the City, iconic landmarks that serve as convenient meeting points and Instagrammable moments for visitors and fans. While they are two distinct pieces, a similar design language and color palette unites them and reinforces the idea that baseball—and art—-bring us all closer together.
Photography by Jason Roehner
