New 12-foot, 1,000-pound public sculpture installed at Village Shops

Patrons at the Village Shops will notice a prominent new piece of public art on Mission Drive this week.

Crews on Friday installed “Synaptic Poise II,” a 1,000-pound cold-cast aluminum sculpture by artist Jacob Burmood on a new concrete pedestal in the pedestrian refuge area between Hen House and Tavern in the Village. Village Shops owner First Washington Realty selected the work among three concepts after a series of public input opportunities earlier this year.

Leopold Gallery, which managed the project, also oversaw the installation on Friday, which required a crane to gently lower the 12-foot piece onto the pedestal.

Burmood, a Kansas City resident, has a number of other sculptures on public display, including a piece on Lawrence city property and a piece on Springfield, Mo., city property.

As part of the Community Improvement Development agreements approved by the city of Prairie Village in 2010, the shopping center owner is required to spend at least 1 percent of the proceeds of the additional 1 percent sales tax at the centers on public art.

The CID taxes also paid for the sculpture “Prairie Evolution” at Corinth Square.