New Public Artwork OT 987 by International Artist Unveiled in Trades District as Part of City’s One Percent for the Arts Program

The City of Bloomington invites the community to celebrate the unveiling of OT 987, a dynamic public art installation by Berlin-based artist Stefan Reiss, on Thursday, April 10 from 6-9 p.m.

The ceremony will take place at the site of the sculpture located at the intersection of Makers Way and Tenth Street in the Trades District. Remarks by Mayor Kerry Thomson, Reiss, and members of the Bloomington Arts Commission will commence at 6:15 p.m. and will be followed by a reception on site and at The Forge, located at 617 N Madison Street.

The celebration features music by DJ Good Peoples and food by Self-Titled Vegetarian Kitchen & Catering. The event is free and open to all, but attendees are asked to RSVP.

OT 987 is a large-scale, interactive sculpture that bridges the worlds of technology and traditional sculpture. Constructed from steel beams painted in vibrant hues drawn from Reiss’s custom "color alphabet," the piece forms intersecting triangular structures of varying heights. Embedded LED lights cycle through changing sequences, filling the surrounding space with shifting color and energy.

The project was commissioned through Bloomington’s One Percent for the Arts Ordinance, which allocates at least one percent of eligible City construction costs toward public art. OT 987 was selected from more than 70 international applicants through a public call for qualifications. After a four-week public comment period and review of over 350 community responses, Reiss’s design was chosen for its bold presence and ability to reflect the spirit of innovation in the Trades District.