On October 22, 2021, the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art (AKMA) held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of its Driveway Accessibility Project. For years, the museum dealt with logistical issues relating to tour buses and emergency vehicles, but that will now become a distant memory due to the new, more direct driveway to its repaved parking lot. The project also included a new monument to welcome visitors, priming them for the artwork they will see inside the building.

Planning and preparation for the AKMA art piece began in 2015 when artist Brent Collins conceptualized the design for a unique 13’ tall sculpture. Through the combination of his creativity and mathematical background the completed sculpture is demonstrably appealing, sitting atop a 4’ tall pyramidal base bringing the total height to 17’. Its installation in the museum’s front yard marked the completion of the greater improvement project. This highly visible location will certainly attract the attention of all future AKMA visitors.

The Heliko sculpture represents AKMA’s commitment to supporting and promoting local artists in a “cutting edge” way. The artist is from a town just 20 miles away and the fabrication was completed in the same city the museum is located in- St. Joseph, MO. With strong local ties, longevity of the sculpture was vital to all project members. The sculpture is situated outdoors and was made of steel making it susceptible to unsightly corrosion. Due to the fabricators extensive experience with steel, they were able to recommend a galvanized coating. Hot-dip galvanizing provided an affordable solution that would deliver a consistent appearance with little to no maintenance or repairs necessary in the future. When selecting the galvanizing provider, the fabricator had to consider bath size but a commitment to quality and service also contributed to the decision. They selected a company that produced quality results in the past and the completion of this project measured up to the expectations.

Shipping and handling was the biggest challenge throughout this project. Planning and forethought was absolutely necessary to ensure safety and efficiency. A custom stand was built for transportation and nylon straps were used for handling. All project members had to pay careful attention to ensure no damage was sustained throughout the process.

The new entrance and front yard at AKMA was designed to better accommodate patrons and buses, opening new opportunities for tours and additional accessibility for patrons. In a recent interview, Jill Carlson, Marketing and Communications Manager for the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art stated, “[Heliko’s installation] has made the museum so much more visible to our visitors. This sculpture shows off the talent in our region and highlights our position as the only art museum in Northwest Missouri.”