2022 Mankato / North Mankato Sculpture Walk installed

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) -For over a decade, the CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour has been an iconic piece of Downtown Mankato and North Mankato.

31 new sculptures were installed on Saturday to kick off the sculpture walk and visitors took advantage of the sunny Saturday to see them all.

“So the first day of installation is always big and exciting, we want to see all this new stuff,” said Mat Greiner of the Twin Rivers Council for the Arts.

CityArt has been running guided walking tours all morning, educating attendees on what they think is the best set yet.

“Really just a wonderful selection of sculptures this year. We have big and big sizes on things that are, and a lot of the sculptors that have been with us year after year are doing, they just keep getting better,” Greiner remarked.

The Blue Earth and Taylor County Libraries held their bookmark design contests, and Mankato’s Masonic Hall was open as the center of all the festivities.

The Sculpture Walk provides a unique opportunity for artists to exhibit their work long-term, in an outdoor environment, and local artists have said it is an opportunity they look forward to every year.

“I love the sculpture walk because the audience is everyone, and you don’t just make pieces for people who go to art galleries,” artist Sung-Hee Min said.

The artists also say the sculpture walk pieces present unique challenges not encountered in other showcases.

“I like having all those aspects. ‘Oh, will it be uh, safe for everyone?’ like little kids when they come and want to check. What kind of do I have to consider for that?” Min said.

Throughout the year, voters can pick up pamphlets at the City Art Sculpture ballot boxes located in Downtown Mankato and North Mankato to vote for their favorite sculpture.