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See the latest installation on the Mount Pleasant sculpture trail

Jason Thomas //May 5, 2023//

See the latest installation on the Mount Pleasant sculpture trail

Jason Thomas //May 5, 2023//

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The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition recently acquired the sculpture

A new installation is coming to a sculpture trail at Mount Pleasant Waterfront Park.

The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, a nonprofit that celebrates wildlife and the great outdoors through fine art, live entertainment and special events, has recently acquired the sculpture "Tidewater Terrapin" from renowned sculptor David Turner, according to an SEWE news release.

It will become a permanent installation at Mount Pleasant Waterfront Park and available for locals and visitors alike to view during park hours.

“The focal point of Tidewater Terrapin is the Diamondback Terrapin. The sculpture also includes oysters and eelgrass which, along with the Terrapin, are all important barometers of the health of an Atlantic Tidewater ecosystem,” Turner said in the release.

SEWE has made public sculpture a top initiative of its service to the community, according to the release SEWE believes public sculpture is an important part of any community, as it provides access to art for everyone, especially for youth and underserved individuals, the release stated.

In May of 2019, the first seeds were planted in partnership with the Town of Mount Pleasant for a sculpture exhibit that would extend throughout the region, according to the release. The SEWE sculpture exhibit at Mount Pleasant Waterfront Park is meant to be a cultural experience, as well as the beginning of what will become a trail throughout the Lowcountry.

“The waters and marshes of the Cooper River could not be a more appropriate backdrop for sculptures of animals indigenous to the region,” said SEWE CEO John Powell. “Teeming with wildlife, the Cooper’s tidal waters are a reminder of the rich habitat of the Lowcountry and the importance of conservation and sustainability. It has been proven with these six sculptures, it also provides a place for reflection and inspiration.”

In 2021, the first public sculpture linking Mount Pleasant to Downtown was unveiled, creating the first leg of the trail, according to the release. The permanent public sculpture in the Charleston Visitor Center, “For Spacious Skies” by Walter Matia, was donated to the City of Charleston by the SEWE Board of Directors and staff in honor of Bill Hall.

“The sculpture represents SEWE’s continued effort to promote public art, with the hopes of future works being placed throughout the Lowcountry in the coming years,” said Neil Robinson, president and chairman of the SEWE board.

Those interested in submitting art or inquring about SEWE’s sculpture initiative can contact Meagan Trotta, mtrotta@sewe.com.

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