A hammerhead shark that its creator says will slowly spin in the wind is among three sculpture options currently being considered for placement in Encinitas city parks.

On Monday at 5 p.m., the Encinitas Commission for the Arts will meet at City Hall, 505 S. Vulcan Ave., to discuss the proposals and issue its recommendations. The City Council is expected to make the final decision at its Nov. 20 session regarding the arts commission’s meeting notes agenda.

Three pieces are being studied and two exhibition sites are proposed. One site is in Leucadia Oaks Park near the corner of Sanford Street and North Vulcan Avenue. It’s near the park’s skate park. The other site is in Sun Vista Park, near the southwest corner of Rancho Santa Fe Road and Avenida la Posta. It’s a highly visible location: thousands of San Diego commuters drive by daily and hundreds walk to Olivenhain Elementary and Diegueno Middle schools.

The three artistic options are:

• “Neptune Jr.” – a 250-pound sculpture of a child riding a “realistic” hammerhead shark. Proposed to be placed atop a pole, the work will be mounted in such a way that it can “slowly spin in the wind, thus causing it to constantly change direction,” its creator wrote on a submission form. public art in the city.
• “Wingman” – a 225-pound abstract work of art. The multi-colored sculpture is made of welded steel, which is then covered with acrylic paint. People who approach it will see that each color is “actually made up of several colors superimposed on other colors,” the artist wrote on an art submission form.
• “Hermes” – a 160-pound granite, stone and cement statue of a Greek god. It stands 6 feet 3 inches tall and includes a stone head that is “sourced locally in Encinitas,” its artist wrote.

“Neptune Jr.” and “Wingman” are the two options for the sculpture display pedestal at Sun Vista Park, while the Leucadia Oaks pedestal could accommodate either “Neptune Jr.” or “Hermes,” the staff report notes.

Community debate over the proposed sites and the art itself has already begun. In an online survey conducted by the city in early October, several people expressed concerns about the placement of the “Neptune Jr.” sculpture at Sun Vista Park, saying a moving sculpture would distract motorists at a busy intersection.

Several people also wrote that they thought the ocean-themed sculpture would be better at Leucadia Oaks Park because that park is closer to the ocean than Sun Vista. However, the artist of the “Wingman” piece expressed a preference for Leucadia Oaks over Sun Vista, writing that the piece would look better there “because it would add a vertical element to an area that is basically horizontal by nature.”

More than 400 people responded to the city’s survey, and their opinions on the sculptures varied widely.

The abstract, vertical work “Wingman” received high marks when suggested for placement at the Sun Vista site, receiving a rating of 4.5 out of 5, the city reported. One person wrote that it was “super fun, colorful, interesting,” but not everyone felt that way. One person wrote: “This thing is hideous” and another said a 4-year-old could have created something similar with Lego blocks.

The sculpture of a child riding a shark, which earned a 4.2 rating for the Leucadia Oaks site, also sparked intense reactions. One person called it “too scary”, another called it “upsetting and religiously offensive”, but a third person said it was “quirky, fun, whimsical” and a fourth said: “It’s so cool, imaginative, thought-provoking, conversation-starting, interesting, whimsical and truly unique.

The “Hermes” stone sculpture, which received a rating of 1.8 for the Leucadia Oaks site, received praise for its “rough and natural appearance” but was the subject of criticism from both the share of people confused as to what it was supposed to be and those worried. it looked “overbearing and scary.”

The two works ultimately selected for the parks will be on public display for a loan period of two to three years, the arts commission report said. The cost to the city will be $6,000, including $4,000 for artist stipends and $2,000 for installation work, the report continues.

These aren’t the only public art items currently under consideration in Encinitas. The city recently announced that Encinitas artist Jay Bell is offering to donate a sunset mural on a west side wall of the new Pacific View Arts Center.