Art Tatum Memorial

Art Tatum Memorial

On September 11, 2009 the Art Tatum Celebration Column, a glowing twenty-seven foot tower of eighty-eight piano keys, welcomed the public into the Superior St. pedestrian plaza of the new Lucas County Multipurpose Arena in historic Downtown Toledo.

The memorial to Art Tatum, created by San Francisco artist and jazz enthusiast Cork Marcheschi, consists of black and white stainless steel three foot square boxes separated by sheets of plate glass back lit with smokey blue LED lighting. The spiraled tower is an elegant jazz beacon reminding the Toledo community and visitors of the legacy of its musical culture by honoring its native, Art Tatum. The sculpture also includes three wall mounted and backlit dichroic glass panels inscribed with Art Tatum’s biography, his image with a list of his greatest songs, and a panel for recognition of major donors who have made the memorial possible. These panels colorfully call jazz lovers of every generation to admire, read, and learn about Tatum as they stand in the arborous landscape of Toledo’s most prominent entertainment venue.

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Art Tatum Memorial Website

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