John Henry's Bridgeport anchors five major works at Rockford's riverfront park; installation made possible in part by the generosity of the late Diane Voneida

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2026

ROCKFORD, IL – A monumental sculpture that was a fixture of the James R. Thompson Center in downtown Chicago for nearly four decades is now at home along Rockford's downtown riverfront, where it serves as the centerpiece of a significant new collection of American sculpture at Davis Park.

Bridgeport, a towering 35-foot-tall abstract sculpture by internationally recognized artist John Henry, is joined by four additional large-scale works by Jerry Peart, Barry Tinsley and Robert Winslow. Together, the five works form a distinguished collection of monumental American sculpture, establishing Davis Park as a new cultural landmark along Rockford's riverfront.

Three of the works, Bridgeport by Henry, Jellyroll Man by Peart and Urban Moraine by Tinsley, were previously displayed at the Thompson Center. As the iconic state-owned building was sold to Google, closed and prepared for redevelopment, Rockford Art Museum and GoRockford worked together to secure the works for display in Rockford. The sculptures remain owned by the State of Illinois and are on long-term loan to the museum. The two additional pieces by Tinsley and Winslow are part of the permanent collection of the Rockford Art Museum.

The installation of the public art collection was made possible in part through the generosity of the late Diane Voneida, who left funds through her estate for use at Davis Park. Voneida served as the City of Rockford's director of community development during the park's original development and construction in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Her gift helps ensure that the park she helped create will continue to enrich the community for generations to come.

“This is an extraordinary moment for Rockford and an exciting addition to the cultural landscape of our riverfront,” said Carrie Johnson, executive director and chief curator of Rockford Art Museum. “Bridgeport is a remarkable example of monumental American sculpture. Its scale and presence at the entrance to the park will make a lasting impression, and I think it will quickly become a defining feature of the space. Together with four other significant works, it creates a wonderful opportunity for people to experience important works of art in a public, accessible setting. Bringing art into places where people gather, explore and spend time together is one of the most meaningful ways we can make the arts part of everyday life.”

A Monumental Work by John Henry

Created in 1984 specifically for the State of Illinois Center, later renamed the James R. Thompson Center, Bridgeport measures approximately 35 feet high, 15 feet wide and 25 feet deep.

At the time of its creation, Henry described Bridgeport as the largest sculpture commission in Illinois history. The State of Illinois originally paid $90,000 for the work, making it by far the largest art expenditure among the major works acquired for the new State of Illinois Center.

Henry began his career in Chicago and went on to become internationally recognized for enormous abstract constructions of painted steel and aluminum. His monumental sculptures have been installed in public spaces throughout the United States and around the world.

Rockford already has an important work by Henry on permanent public display. Cape Variations, installed in 1973, has been part of Beattie Park in downtown Rockford for more than 50 years. The sculpture was donated to the Rockford Park District by the late R. Robert Funderburg, a longtime Rockford banker, philanthropist, art collector and supporter of the arts locally and beyond, including Rockford Art Museum and the Art Institute of Chicago. The arrival of Bridgeport adds another major work from a different period in Henry's career to Rockford's public landscape.

“John Henry holds an important place in the history of American sculpture, and Bridgeport is a remarkable example of his work,” said Johnson. “It is especially meaningful to see this sculpture preserved in a setting where it can be experienced as it was intended, at its full scale and in the company of other significant works. Davis Park offers a wonderful opportunity for people to spend time with these sculptures and appreciate them as part of the landscape of our community.”

Works from the Thompson Center

When the state began the process to sell the Thompson Center, the future of its extensive collection of Illinois art was unknown. Seeing an opportunity to bring significant works of public art to Rockford, GoRockford approached Rockford Art Museum about securing pieces from the collection for Davis Park. The resulting collaboration secured three monumental sculptures for installation at Davis Park, ensuring they would remain on public display in Illinois.

GoRockford and Rockford Art Museum extend their appreciation to the State of Illinois for its partnership in making these significant works available for long-term public display in Rockford. The state's commitment to preserving and sharing its public art collection helps ensure that these important works will continue to be enjoyed by residents and visitors for generations to come.

“Opportunities like this don't come along often, and we knew we needed to act. From the outset, we saw the potential to bring extraordinary works of art to Rockford and create something truly special for our community. Together, we've not only preserved important works of art for future generations but also created a lasting cultural asset that will enrich Davis Park, strengthen Rockford's identity as a destination for arts and culture, and give residents and visitors the opportunity to experience extraordinary art in a welcoming, accessible public space,” said John Groh, president/CEO of GoRockford.

In addition to Bridgeport, those works from the Thompson Center are:

Jellyroll Man, by Jerry Peart
Approximately 8 feet high × 6 feet deep
Painted aluminum

Peart was an important figure in Chicago's large-scale sculpture movement and part of a community of artists that included Henry, Richard Hunt and Barry Tinsley. Rockford is already home to another prominent Peart sculpture, Wild Flower, located at the entrance to Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens.

 

Urban Moraine, by Barry Tinsley
Approximately 10 feet × 4.5 feet × 2 feet
Stainless steel

Tinsley emerged from Chicago's active sculpture community of the 1970s and became known for large-scale works exploring industrial materials, geology, mass and form.

The three state-owned sculptures will be displayed at Davis Park through a long-term loan agreement with the Rockford Art Museum.

 

Works from the Rockford Art Museum Collection

Two additional monumental works owned by Rockford Art Museum will join the collection at Davis Park.

 

Untitled (Anaconda), by Barry Tinsley, 1981
74 inches high × 191 inches wide × 15 inches deep
Bronze plate

 

Nearly 16 feet wide, Untitled (Anaconda) was donated to Rockford Art Museum by longtime Rockford arts patron Dick Behr and his late wife, Lon. For decades, the Behrs have been among the museum's most dedicated supporters, helping establish its Patron Group, supporting exhibitions and programs, and donating significant works to its permanent collection.

The wall-mounted sculpture has been installed on the new Davis Park stage wall, integrating a significant work of art directly into one of the park's primary gathering and performance spaces.


Energy Form, by Robert Winslow
Two monumental granite forms
Approximately 16,000 and 6,000 pounds

Winslow is known for monumental stone sculpture exploring mass, natural form and the inherent qualities of his materials. Energy Form was originally commissioned for and displayed at McDonald's former corporate campus in Oak Brook, Illinois. When McDonald's relocated its global headquarters to downtown Chicago, the corporation donated the monumental work to Rockford Art Museum.

Its relocation to Rockford was made possible with support from Bucciferro Family McDonald’s, the Fred L. Turner Family, GoRockford, Lynn Fischer-Carlson and Patty Rhea. Special thanks go to the Rockford Park District for storing Energy Form since 2022 while plans for its installation were finalized.

A Legacy of Public Art in Rockford
The addition of these five monumental works builds upon Rockford's distinguished tradition of public sculpture, further strengthening the city's collection of works by nationally and internationally recognized artists.

Perhaps no work better represents that tradition than Alexander Liberman's Symbol. Owned by the City of Rockford and under the long-term care of the Rockford Park District, the massive red steel sculpture, standing approximately 47 feet tall and weighing 30 tons, was commissioned for downtown Rockford and installed in 1978 before being relocated to its current riverfront setting along the Rock River Recreation Path in 1984.

Over time, Symbol has become Rockford's most recognizable work of public art and an example of the impact a monumental sculpture can have on a city's visual identity.

Other significant sculptures throughout Rockford include Henry’s Cape Variations at Beattie Park and several works along the Rock River Recreation Path and at Nicholas Conservatory & Gardens, including Peart’s Wild Flower, Terese Agnew’s Rock Men Guardians, Gene Horvath’s Suspended Motion, Robert Mangold’s Anemotive Kinetic and O.V. Shaffer’s Dancers. These works, along with the outdoor sculpture collection at Riverfront Museum Park, Susan Burton's Women's Suffrage Centennial Sculpture and numerous public art installations added throughout the city through GoRockford's CRE8IV: transformational ART program, contribute to Rockford's growing collection of significant public art.

"Rockford has a proud history of making art part of the places we share as a community," said Rockford Mayor Janessa Neal. "From Symbol along the Rock River to the public art found throughout our neighborhoods, these works contribute to our identity and quality of life. The collection coming to Davis Park continues that tradition while creating an exciting new destination in the heart of our city."

Gene Horvath's Pulling Together, previously located near Davis Park at the former intersection of South Main and Wyman streets, is also intended to become part of the park's public art collection. The sculpture, which depicts Rockford founders Germanicus Kent, Lewis Lemon and Thatcher Blake, requires conservation and repairs before it can be reinstalled. The proposed location is along the Rock River, south of the railroad trestle near Rockford's original founding site. A timeline for the restoration and installation has not been finalized.

Honoring Diane Voneida's Vision for Davis Park
The installation of these five works will also carry forward the legacy of the late Diane Voneida, who served as the City of Rockford's community development director when Davis Park was originally envisioned and constructed in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Voneida believed in the importance of the downtown riverfront and the role Davis Park could play in Rockford's future. Upon her passing in 2018, she left funds through her estate for use at Davis Park.

Those funds were dedicated to securing and installing the public art collection, creating a lasting connection between Voneida's role in the park's beginnings and its transformation today. Since her passing, the Rockford Park District Foundation has held the funds, and the City of Rockford is grateful for the Foundation's collaboration.

“Diane understood the importance of our downtown and believed in the potential of Davis Park long before many others could see what it might become. She helped shape the park's original vision, and through her generosity, she is now helping shape its future. There is something especially meaningful about using her gift to bring these extraordinary works of art to a place she cared so deeply about. I think Diane would be proud to see the transformation underway and to know that her legacy will live on through public art that residents and visitors can enjoy for generations to come,” said Groh.

The five sculptures are part of the larger transformation of Davis Park, the seven-acre public space owned by the City of Rockford along the Rock River in downtown Rockford. Improvements include a permanent performance stage, universally accessible playground, skate park, lighted pathways, riverfront and shoreline improvements, concessions and restrooms, expanded gathering spaces and other amenities.

The works of art have been strategically placed throughout the park, allowing visitors to experience the works from multiple perspectives and making art part of everyday visits as well as concerts, festivals and major community events.


Media Contacts: John Groh, GoRockford president/CEO, 815.963.8111, jgroh@gorockford.com 

Carrie Johnson, Rockford Art Museum executive director & chief curator, 815.968.2787, cjohnson@rockfordartmuseum.org

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About Rockford Art Museum
Rockford Art Museum has served the community since 1913 and maintains a permanent collection of more than 2,500 works, with an emphasis on modern and contemporary American art and regional artists. The museum's mission is to foster creativity and build community through visual arts.

About GoRockford
GoRockford is responsible for promoting the Rockford region as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to live and work. Through the impact of travel, GoRockford strengthens the region's economic position and provides opportunities for people in our communities.