The City Council of Cathedral City and the Public Arts Commission Dedicated Renowned Artist Simi Dabah’s “X Marks the Place”
Mayor Stan Henry along with Councilmembers John Aguilar, Mark Carnevale and Shelley Kaplan kicked-off the dedication ceremony yesterday for renowned artist Simi Dabah’s “X Marks the Place” outside of the Cathedral City Public Library. Other dignitaries joined in on the celebration including Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, and representatives from State Senator Jeff Stone and Supervisor John Benoit’s offices.
Following the dedication, a Cinco de Mayo reception catered by El Portal Mexican Restaurant was held inside the library as the Cathedral City Public Arts Commission hosted an All-Valley Public Arts Commissioners Meeting to discuss the state of public art in the Valley. Attendees heard from our local gallery owners, featured speakers Jan Maguire, Film, Arts and Entertainment Manager Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau; Christi Salamone, President & C.E.O., La Quinta Arts Foundation as well as local artists and 15 year old Hunter Martin who designed a Cathedral City art smartphone app.
“There’s nothing like a giant “X” to mark the place of adventure,” stated library manager Josh Kunkle.
The “Big X” sculpture measures 18 feet high by 22 feet wide and symbolizes that the library is the place where all things educational, culture, and artistic are featured. Artist Simi Dabah is a self-taught artist/welder and has been creating welded steel sculptures from industrial scrap for more than forty years. His artwork utilizes scrap materials in order to recycle resources and create a new purpose that is environmentally friendly and visually pleasing. Most of his outdoor pieces including the “X Marks the Place” are left in their natural state rusting to a warm patina.
