In Monday’s edition of The Washington Post, columnist John Kelly focused his attention on a public art project in the making by Landscape Architecture Professor Mikyoung Kim. Backed by the D.C. Commission on the Arts & Humanities and slated for completion later this fall, her Kaleidoscope Project will provide a “unique artistic enhancement” to the 14th Street Bridge - a well-traveled gateway into the capital city. The idea is to transform the derelict hexagonal tower where the keeper of the draw-bridge once sat into a massive kaleidoscope emanating colorful light.

“The challenge was to create something of interest to drivers” as they’re crossing into Washington, DC, Mikyoung says in the article. “It was to create something that visually you could take in at 20-40 mph, which is a very particular challenge. It’s not like being in a museum.” Too true. But therein lies the beauty of public art - it offers refreshing surprises in unexpected places.