Century Walk could not wait until May 4th (International Firefighters Day) to introduce PN Readers to the 51st addition to their public art collection – “Ladder of Light” – created by local sculpture artist Paul Kuhn.
It was unveiled on Monday, December 7, 2020, at Firemen’s Memorial Park located at 1072 W. Jefferson Ave., immediately west of the DuPage River bridge 50 years to the day that three firefighters died in the line of duty. Twenty-one years later another firefighter passed during a live burn training exercise.
The sculpture features a firefighter leaning forward climbing a ladder. Two beams of light, only visible at night, simulate the ladder’s vertical rails. Kuhn describes the sculpture, …”the beams of light have a dramatic affect and help give some tension to the sculpture. This helps put the viewer in the shoes of the heroes that put their lives on the line.“
Visit this highly acclaimed memorial as soon as you can.
About Century Walk
The Century Walk Corporation, founded in 1996, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing public art to Naperville, to add beauty to the town, build community and bridge generations by paying tribute to over 200 years of Naperville history through a diverse collection of murals, mosaics, sculptures and more.
Learn more about 50-plus pieces of Naperville public art at www.centurywalk.org.