Owl sculpture now greets Edgebrook shoppers

by BRIAN NADIG

Everyday Edgebrook recently had a 4-foot-tall aluminum owl installed at 5422 W. Devon Ave. as part of the Chicago Sculpture Exhibit.

The exhibit leases sculptures to community groups for $3,500 a year in an effort to encourage public art displays in neighborhoods. This is the first time that Everyday Edgebrook, a volunteer organization that promotes the Devon-Central commercial area, has participated in the exhibit, which has had displays in Jefferson Park and Six Corners.

Everyday Edgebrook treasurer and co-founder Laura Guenther said that that the owl is an appropriate symbol for the community. “We selected the owl because we’re in the vicinity of the forest preserve,” she said.

While the sculpture by Todd Willing is titled “Night Watch,” the group is looking to give the owl a name for its yearlong stay in Edgebrook. A suggested name and a picture of the owl should be tagged to Everyday Edgebrook via Instagram or Facebook through Thursday, July 27, and then a vote will be taken to pick the winner, Guenther said.

While on display in Edgebrook, the sculpture is for sale for $5,000, but it cannot be removed until after the organization’s one-year lease is up. The lease agreement covers the cost of installation and removal and provides insurance for the project.

Funds for the leasing of the sculpture were raised through donations, and the group hopes to bring in a new piece of art to the district each year, Guenther said.