Poly sculpture installed at 14th Street roundabout

The long-awaited installation of sculpture in the roundabout at U.S. 41 and 14th Street has been completed.

Poly, a 20-foot-tall sculpture created by New York-based art studio Hou de Sousa, was installed Wednesday night. Delivered in two pieces, the 2.7-ton piece was placed on its concrete pedestal in the center of the roundabout by the studio’s team. 

The $208,000 piece was unanimously approved by the City Commission in September 2019 following a call to artists and recommendation by the Public Art Committee. Poly’s fabrication was halted in early 2020 because of COVID-19 and subsequent global supply chain issues. 

Image courtesy of the city of Sarasota

Once completed, prohibitive construction costs associated with the concrete foundation required for the piece delayed installation. In July 2024, the City Commission approved a competitive bid to build the foundation. The cost of the foundation for Poly was $340,906.50, $132,906.50 more than the cost of the sculpture.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert. “We’re thrilled this beautiful sculpture is now part of the community and it will be enjoyed by residents and visitors. Poly underscores how much we appreciate and value the cultural arts in Sarasota.”

Poly was acquired through the city’s public art fund, which is supported by developer fees. A building permit with a construction valuation of more than $1 million requires the applicant to contribute one-half of 1% of the total construction valuation toward the purchase of public art.

The sculpture is storm-resilient, built to withstand winds up to 149 miles per hour, or the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. Poly will be illuminated at night with lighting installation expected to be completed within days.

Poly is the latest installation of the city’s Art in the Roundabouts program, and the first along U.S. 41.