A common memorial gift, flowers symbolize the fragility and beauty of life. As a memorial tribute, the permanent interactive flower celebrates artistic spirit, curiosity, and creative presence along the Lafitte Greenway for generations to come.

The design was complex as some cold work had to be done but the galvanizer was able to obtain the spangled appearance making zinc integral to the final appearance and key to the design. The form of the flower is inspired by the Louisiana Iris, native to the coastal wetland, and planted nearby in the Greenway bioswale. The attention being to draw attention to the need to protect the local and global environment.

Handling this beautiful delicate project required special care for lifting and drainage but the galvanizer was able to achieve the desired coating meeting ASTM A123 and most of all the satisfaction of the artist. 

Functionally, Iris of Memory provides motion activated lighting along the Greenway path becoming brighter as the visitor approaches. The patterns of the pedals and leaves and the illuminated bulb will cast patterns like a memory, onto the surrounding trees and groundscape. All the while, the leaves visually are folded down to provide seating, as a place to pause and reflect or engage with the community. The use of HDG steel made the structure not only functional but cool to the touch due to reflection of solar radiation. The choice of the HDG metallic finish not only provided long tem durability, but also created a dialogue with other artistic pieces made of stainless steel. Thematically, both address Louisiana ecology and project hope of our environment. These beautiful artistic projects have tremendous impact on the community demonstrating steel art at its best. 

Iris of Memory takes the flower, a traditional and impermanent memorial symbol, and reverses its aging process. In contrast to the temporary nature of a delicate flower, the installation is created with durable HDG steel making it enjoyable for years to come. The project will be a catalyst for the future development of the contemplative green space planned for the community.