Prairie Village Public Art Series Vol. 8

Photo by Matthew Dehaemers

"Prairie Evolution" sculpture by Matthew Dehaemers
by: Nancy Kalikow Maxwell

​“House” may not be the first word that comes to mind when gazing at the sculpture in Corinth Square, but maybe it should be.

Matthew Dehaemers, the work’s creator, explains that he had residential buildings in mind when he designed this piece which stands at the entrance to the shopping center (adjacent to Spin! Pizza). 

​Dubbing his work, “Prairie Evolution,” Dehaemers crafted the two skyward arches to represent the transformation of Prairie Village residences from the original sod houses into contemporary suburban homes. The pair of structures emerge literally from the earth, gently curving upward to form what resembles the roof lines of modern Prairie Village homes. 

As a Kansas City native, Dehaemers is intimately familiar with the architectural history of this area. His family’s Johnson County roots can be traced all the way back to the early 20th Century. Dehaemers himself lived near 93rd St. and Mission, and “the Corinth area was part of my growing up” he previously told the Shawnee Mission Post.

Dehaemers graduated from Rockhurst High School and obtained a B.F.A. from Creighton University and an M.F.A. from the University of Wisconsin. During his career he has won commissions to create public art for a variety of locations across the country, including Charlotte, NC, Casper WY, and Santa Clarita, CA.

In 2013, CSN Retail Partners commissioned Dehaemers to create the sculpture as part of their Community Improvement District agreement with the City of Prairie Village. Their intent was to install a piece that would serve as a welcoming gateway to the newly-developed Corinth Square shopping center. The colorful series of panels he created not only welcome shoppers, but provide a subtle nod to local history by reminding viewers that the area evolved from a swath of tallgrass prairie into a modern suburb. 
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Photo by Matthew Dehaemers

According to Dehaemers, the best time to see the colorful piece is on a sunny day when the sun is on either side of the panels. But even on cloudy days, the silhouetted house shapes that grace the piece should not only evoke Prairie Village history, but hopefully make you feel right at home.

All photos by Matthew Dehaemers can be found at http://matthewdehaemers.com/public-art-ii/.

"Prairie Evolution" is one of the 8 public art sculptures you can visit during the Prairie Village Art Walk that begins June 11, 2021.