Payne Park Tennis Center Sculpture Commission

The City of Sarasota’s Public Art Program invites you to share feedback on three finalist proposals for a new sculpture commission at Payne Park Tennis Center, located in downtown Sarasota.

This project is a collaboration between the Public Art Program and the Parks & Recreation Department to bring art and community together in one of the city’s most active public spaces.

From 45 applicants worldwide, a selection panel has chosen three finalists. Your input will help inform the Public Art Committee’s final decision at its November 5 meeting.

About the Project

The Payne Park Tennis Center is a popular community facility with 12 Har-Tru courts, the Court 13 pro shop and bar, and a shaded courtyard used daily by residents and visitors. The proposed sculpture will be located in the interior courtyard, a secure and publicly visible space that reflects Sarasota’s creative and active spirit.

This project is funded by the City of Sarasota’s Public Art Program, which is supported through Developer Public Art Contributions. These contributions fund the Program’s efforts to integrate art into public spaces and enhance Sarasota’s built environment.

Meet the Finalists

"SWING" by Michael Dicarlo (Artist Website)
Brooklyn, New York

Artist Narrative: The sculpture begins with the familiar outline of a tennis racket, a symbol of play and motion, and transforms it into a rising chorus of forms. Each racket arcs and rotates around a central spine, swelling and contracting as if caught mid-swing. Together, they create a spiral of energy - a dance of rhythm and velocity that celebrates both the grace of the game and the vitality of Sarasota itself.

As sunlight passes through the perforated "strings," shadows ripple across the courtyard like echoes of movement. Powder-coated colors bloom in sequence - a spectrum drawn from Gulf sunsets, circus spectacle, and the tropical gardens that surround the courts. The work shimmers between sport and performance, inviting viewers to experience motion even in stillness.

In this compact space, Swing / Sarasota gathers the joy of play, the brilliance of color, and the communal spirit that defines the city. It is both a gesture and a celebration: of athletics, of artistry, and of Sarasota's enduring cultural vibrancy.

"The Serve" by Alex Kaufman (Artist Website)
St. Petersburg, Florida

Artist Narrative: "The Serve" is a sculptural tribute to both the physical rhythm of tennis and the creative energy of Sarasota. The piece features a large, upright hand serving a tennis ball, capturing the moment just before impact-the pause before the action. It's a gesture that feels calm and graceful, but is filled with anticipation and stored energy.

The form is constructed from concrete to emphasize permanence, weight, and structure. Mosaic is used as a counterpoint: vibrant, reflective, and detailed. The tennis ball is covered in roughly nine square feet of waterjet-cut yellow tile pieces, using circular forms to evoke motion and spin. The wristband incorporates around seven square feet of white and mirrored glass tile vertically oriented, projecting upward momentum.

These reflective surfaces catch the light and environment, creating visual movement as viewers walk around the work. The sculpture directly reflects the theme of motion and sport while also addressing innovation and community. It uses traditional materials in a contemporary way, blending tactile craft with strong form. The concrete hand represents Sarasota's people-steady, foundational, and often working behind the scenes. The mosaic expresses the vibrancy of culture and place, bringing in color, play, and movement.

My background in photojournalism influences my interest in capturing precise, expressive moments. This sculpture is about that split second of poised stillness, just before action takes over. What looks simple at first carries layers of symbolic and material meaning.

Mosaic also has a long legacy in Florida public art, and I see The Serve as a continuation of that tradition-updated, durable, and made for long-term public enjoyment.

Please note that the renderings as shown are an initial concept and the sculpture will become more refined during production (such as the anatomy of the hand) --- this is a quick idea and should be taken as such. The mosaic portion is extremely ripe for experimentation and an interesting direction. That part will evolve extensively as the project comes to fruition."

"Tennis Player" by Alex Lidagovsky (Artist Website)
Kyiv, Ukraine / Oxford, United Kingdom

Artist Narrative: "The proposed sculpture, Tennis Player, celebrates the beauty of human movement, rhythm, and energy through a dynamic and minimalist form. Inspired by the elegance and concentration of a tennis serve, the sculpture captures the precise moment before motion is released-the instant of balance between stillness and action.

The figure is designed using the structural principles of a tennis racket: light yet resilient, composed of alternating lines and planes that evoke both strength and transparency. Fabricated from polished stainless steel, the sculpture interacts constantly with its environment. Its mirror-like surfaces reflect the surrounding landscape, sunlight, and the movement of people in the courtyard, creating an ever-changing visual rhythm that mirrors the tempo of the game.

Motion and rhythm are expressed not only through the subject but also through the play of reflections and form. As light shifts throughout the day, the sculpture comes alive, transforming from a precise silhouette in the morning to a vibrant, luminous presence in the afternoon. This dynamism embodies the spirit of sport as perpetual motion, coordination, and focus. The work also engages with the theme of connection and community. Tennis, like public art, brings people together across backgrounds and generations. In Sarasota, a city known for its cultural vibrancy and coastal light, the sculpture symbolises harmony between body and environment, art and recreation. The polished surface captures not just the sunlight but the people around it, literally reflecting the community that animates the park.

Through its visual simplicity and kinetic energy, Tennis Player invites viewers to see themselves in the motion of the game. It is both a tribute to Sarasota's passion for art and sport, and a celebration of human vitality, balance, and shared experience."

Share Your Feedback

Please review the proposals and complete the short survey below.
Public input will be shared with the Public Art Committee as part of its final review and artist selection process.