Solar Needle

Solar Needle, 2005

Terrence Karpowicz

The Nettelhorst School

3252 North Broadway

            Founded in 1892, the Nettelhorst School in East Lakeview is a public elementary school that boasts two restored WPA (Works Progress Administration) murals from the 1930s, including one by Rudolph Weisenborn entitled “Contemporary Chicago.” A more contemporary piece, Solar Needle, was a generous gift from Chicago-based sculptor Terrence Karpowicz. Using recycled materials from A. Finkl & Sons Steel, located on the city’s north side, Karpowicz created a granite and steel sculpture with a well-placed hole that casts a shadow on the playground at high noon. Students interested in astronomy can track the location of the shadows each day over the course of a year as it creates the figure eight symbol of infinity. 

Other works: 

• The Athlete 
• Concurrence 
• Symbiotic Parallax