ORLANDO, Fla. — Huge displays of artwork are popping up all over downtown Orlando.
The permanent pieces are set to be officially unveiled in about two weeks.
The art is thanks to $1.5 million from private investors.
Darden, Universal, and the Orlando Magic are some of the investors in the art.
These large works of art are nothing if not eye-catching.
"My first reaction is that I wondered if it was some sort of a large advertisement," resident Rick Bishop said.
Bishop was pleasantly surprised to learn that it was simply art.
"It's already making me think, and it's already making us talk about it, too. So it's accomplished its purpose already," Bishop said.
"The yellow eye represents how it's normally a beautiful sunny day in Orlando," Jennifer Quigley of See Art Orlando said.
Quigley said See Art Orlando's board received 187 submissions from around the world.
The board narrowed the choices down and private investors picked out their pieces.
Not everyone is happy about the permanent editions like the one at Eola Drive and Robinson Street.
"The park is green and earth tone, it's chrome, it looks like it shouldn't be here," resident Tom Dale said.
There are six pieces surrounding Lake Eola.
They range from a flock of birds to a man with two right feet. There is a tree, the only piece by an Orlando artist. And there is one that moves with the wind.
Quigley expects "The Muse" to be the most controversial piece.
"I think because she's so unique that people will either love her or not love her. But that's what art is. It's subjective. We hope to engage people in conversations," Quigley said.
See Art Orlando's budget has enough money left over to cover maintenance for the artwork for about 10 years.
WFTV
