# Lexington Arts Commission considers sculpture donation, Phoenix Park art project **Published:** 2026-10-06T16:00:00.000Z **Source:** [LFUCG Meeting Archive](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/6898) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/lexington-arts-commission-considers-sculpture-donation-phoenix-park-art-project LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Public Arts Commission took up two significant public art initiatives during its [October 6 meeting](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/6898), including a generous donation of a 25-foot stainless steel sculpture and a community art project proposal for [downtown's newly reimagined Phoenix Park](https://www.lexingtonky.gov/news/city-cuts-ribbon-reopen-reimagined-phoenix-park). Ken Literal, owner of Pro Clean Car Wash, offered to donate a sculpture that was originally installed outside his South Broadway location in 2002. The piece, designed in collaboration with a professor at the University of Kentucky, features stainless steel construction and sits on a concrete base approximately four feet in diameter. Literal said he chose to work with the professor because he wanted his business to have a distinctive artistic signature, similar to how McDonald's has its iconic arches. Literal is relocating his business after his lease at 550 South Broadway was not renewed, and rather than let the sculpture go to waste, he reached out to the professor, who suggested donating it to the city for relocation to a public site. The sculpture, which stands roughly 27 feet tall including its base, is currently stored safely at the professor's office on the University of Kentucky campus. Commission members raised practical questions about the donation, including storage, installation costs estimated at approximately $8,000, and potential permanent locations. One commissioner suggested the [Versailles Road corridor, which is part of an ongoing public art project](https://lexingtonky.news/2026/06/02/public-arts-commission-approves-three-major-projects/), might be an appropriate location given the sculpture's conceptual focus on movement and travel. The commission voted to ask the Urban County Council to pass a resolution accepting the sculpture on behalf of the city. Council approval is required before the commission can take formal possession and proceed with placement planning. The commission also heard a Phase One presentation for "Make Your Mark on Phoenix Park," a community art project proposed for the one-acre downtown park that [reopened in September 2025 after a $4.6 million renovation](https://www.lexingtonky.gov/news/city-cuts-ribbon-reopen-reimagined-phoenix-park). The project aims to create collaborative artwork by and for residents. ## Sources - [LFUCG Meeting Archive](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/6898) - [Phoenix Park reopening announcement, September 2025](https://www.lexingtonky.gov/news/city-cuts-ribbon-reopen-reimagined-phoenix-park) - [Public Arts Commission June 2026 meeting coverage](https://lexingtonky.news/2026/06/02/public-arts-commission-approves-three-major-projects/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from LFUCG Meeting Archive, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/6898.