For nearly three decades, visitors to the Phoenix Convention Center’s North Building have been greeted by a sculpture made of ceramics and sand—evoking powerful images of Arizona’s desert. Now, the artwork titled “Beach In Heaven” is getting a new home.
The Phoenix Convention Center and the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture department announced July 21 the relocation of “Beach In Heaven.” The weeklong effort concluded July 18, and the sculpture can now be found around the corner in a new location for visitors to enjoy.
“This artwork is something that has stood at our front doors since we opened the North Building,” said Phoenix Convention Center Director Jerry Harper. “We are moving it to a location where it will be both prominent and protected and allows us to keep our meeting and convention space flexible for clients. This piece is a fan-favorite, it’s not going too far.”
“Beach In Heaven” by Hirotsune Tashima was first created in 2008. He designed it, he said, to inspire humor and encourage people to live fully. The composition includes saguaro sculptures, desert flora, native fauna, contemporary dining and life-sized people enjoying recreation within a desert “beach.” The three cacti in the piece are dedicated to the expansive cultural mix we have in Phoenix, with one dedicated to food and one to fashion.
“I wanted it to be reflective of Phoenix,” Tashima said. “Each of my pieces is specific to the site it’s located at and tells a story. This one tells the story of all the different cultures in Phoenix.”
Tashima said the name of the installation came about because despite our desert location, it isn’t unusual to see fish in our rivers and lakes. Those fish are represented on a 15-foot-tall fish-inspired cactus. Other desert-dwelling animals like javelinas and tortoises are also reflected in the piece.
The art installation at the Phoenix Convention Center is made of ceramic sculptures fired using the reduction firing method, giving the statues a grainy quality that matches the sand. Each sculpture also has a familiar face especially if you’ve met Tashima.
“The face is mine because models are expensive,” Tashima said with a laugh. “I would look and pose in a mirror to get the movement and expressions right. This is something I do in most of my work.”
Moving the artwork took a lot of planning. With multiple fragile ceramic statues and sand, it took Tashima and Art Solutions and Installations several days to move the pieces. They first needed to be deconstructed and then re-built and touched up in their new location.
“I’m so happy the Phoenix Convention Center decided to move it,” Tashima said. “It means a lot to me to be able to work on it again, it’s like revisiting a different time in my life.”
The Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture was instrumental in moving the art, working with Tashima and Art Solution and Installations.
“Public art is a cornerstone of culture in the City of Phoenix,” said Doug Oland, Public Art Collections Manager at the City of Phoenix. “We are grateful to partner with artists to bring these works to life in our public spaces. The Phoenix Convention Center has a robust public art display, and we are proud to see ‘Beach In Heaven’ in its new home.”
Visit “Beach In Heaven” next time you are at the Phoenix Convention Center’s North Building, off the hallway to the right of the entrance. More information on Tashima’s art can be found on his
website, and information on Phoenix’s public art program can be found on the
City of Phoenix’s website.