Five Points Plaza integrates community engagement, collaboration, and
research to produce two public art pieces commissioned by the City of Charlotte
for the Historic West End neighborhood. Together, these artworks form the
Excelsior Collection, named after the Excelsior Club, a significant landmark in
Charlotte, North Carolina, and a cornerstone of the African American community
and Historic West End. The individual pieces are titled “Ever Upward” and “Even
Higher,” reflecting the Latin meanings of "Excelsior." This project
was done in collaboration with the artist James Stacy Utley.
“Even Higher” is located at the new Five Points Plaza. This piece, inspired
by the intricate narratives of a quilt, comprises three panels ranging from 18
to 28 feet tall, symbolizing Perseverance, Inspiration, and Icon. Each panel
features a designed perforated section, backlit with images of Dorothy Counts
Scoggins, Biddle Hall, and the Excelsior Club signage.
“Ever Upward” is a seven-foot abstract sculpture symbolizing the community's
enduring journey of faith. It represents various upward movements: Dorothy
Counts' historic walk to integrate public schools in Charlotte, the inspiring
path every student takes through the arch of Johnson C. Smith University, the
upward ascent along Trade Street from "uptown" to Biddle Hall, and
the ongoing prayers for progress. The four sculptures are situated on W Trade
Street just beyond the I-77 overpass.