Honoring golf and community with Dublin’s latest public artwork S/WING

Inspired by Columbus native Jack Nicklaus’ iconic swing, as well as the countless swings made since the inaugural Memorial Tournament in 1976 and those still to come. 

The abstract S/WING structure envisions the similarities of the body mechanics of a golf swing to the fluid-like pattern of a bird’s wings in flight. 

Located near the renowned Golf Club on a knoll, S/WING connects past and present, nature and community, through symbolism, as birds were once regarded as guides and messengers in Shawnee and Wyandot traditions, as well as in Irish-Celtic lore. 

In further connection with the geography and history of the land as sustenance, the sculpture also implements green, grass-like elements into the overall form to simulate it rising seamlessly from the ground.

The sculpture was created by Ivan Depeña, a Hispanic American interdisciplinary artist and sculptor based in Charlotte, North Carolina. S/WING was built to be aligned with the cardinal NSEW axis. With Depeña’s focus on earthwork and land art, the sculpture turns into a brief sundial during the week of the summer solstice. Light from the sunrise and sunset aligns with the sculpture’s interior center, further emphasizing the space as a place of reflection and inspiration.

S/WING was built to shape a legacy and community surrounding the game of golf. The sculpture celebrates these layered histories while supporting Dublin’s Art in Public Places program, intending to strengthen community identity.

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