Sculptor Janet Echelman will transform the skyline of Columbus, Ohio with a newly-announced commission set to debut this June.

Her soft fiber piece, titled Current, expands on past experiments with architecture and computational design and will stretch to 126 feet at its pinnacle. The 229-foot-long sculpture is made from 78 miles of twine strewn into more than 550,000 individual knots and cast from the facades of buildings located at the intersection of Gay and High Streets.

Echelman says she “drew inspiration from the evolution of downtown Columbus and its role throughout history as a place of innovation and light.” Her latest commission will be the first permanent piece to be suspended over street level, following temporary installations in Munich, Santiago, New York, and two other continents.

“When I approach a new project, I start by diving into the history of the place,” Echelman said. "I became absorbed in Columbus’ historical narrative and quickly fell in love with the city.”

“The challenge to build such an ambitious permanent interconnected art commission over a municipal street attached to multiple private buildings might have been impossible elsewhere,” she continued. “I witnessed exceptional cooperation to achieve this public goal and came to understand firsthand what is nationally referred to as the Columbus Way. I hope that Current captures that idea of interconnectedness and creates a space where people feel a sense of community and sanctuary. And I love that this artwork literally laces into the fabric of the city over the public street, because it’s a place that everyone feels entitled to be present.”

The Columbus Museum of Art has already acquired the work, which is part of a larger downtown revitalization spearheaded by local developers Edwards Companies. It will be deinstalled by the museum each winter with the promise of a springtime renewal. On that note, Echelman said: “As an artist, I follow nature. And I hope the winter functions like the absence of a lover, giving us a chance to experience [the piece] anew each spring.”

“As Current becomes embedded into the fabric of downtown, it will also serve as a starting point for engaging a diverse intersection of our community. To achieve this, we’ve created a working group of people with varying backgrounds who will help further define, program and activate this Arts and Culture District in the future,” Edwards Company CEO Jeff Edwards said.

The installation goes on view starting on Friday, June 9th.