For sculptor Jennifer Torres, the timeless image of the boat can take on many meanings. A boat can function as an escape from a dire situation—or a way to return home. We use boats for a variety of needs: fishing, transportation, and even recreation (as we do here, at Osage Park). The boat-like shapes respond to the natural environment: their steel fins catch the wind, causing them to gently rotate. The artist used the curving lines of the paths in Osage Park as inspiration for the shapes in the boats.

This series of sculptures expands on Torres's previous installation at the Mississippi Museum of Art, where a smaller group of Garden Boats turn and sway in the Art Garden. For over two decades, Torres has lived and worked in Hattiesburg, MS, where she serves as Professor of Art at the University of Southern Mississippi. About her work, she has said: “As a sculptor, I build what I imagine, and there's a lot going on in there, so I'll be busy for a while."