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Sneak Peek: Butterfly Rest Stop

The public art piece will be open to the public in October 2024
Matilda Preisendorf

On Oct. 5, 2024, Kaleidoscope Park will open its gates to the public. But the most anticipated feature of the park is Butterfly Rest Stop, standing as one of Texas's largest outdoor public art installations. 

The piece by Janet Echelman is located in Arts Plaza and symbolizes the monarch’s migration. Capturing the delicate beauty of milkweed flowers, this stunning sculpture mirrors the butterfly’s intricate forms, patterns and vibrant hues. Crafted from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers — the same material used by NASA for the Mars Rover — five-petaled shapes appear to float in the air. 

On Sept. 10, Local Profile visited the site of the upcoming sculpture, which is visible from Warren Parkway, as well as The Star. Though still fenced off and under construction, Butterfly Rest Stop is close to completion. 

Stretching an impressive 165 feet and made from nearly 90 miles of fiber, the artwork is a marvel of precision and creativity. Embracing the theme of pollination, native milkweed now flourishes in Kaleidoscope Park’s Arts Plaza, creating a haven for monarch butterflies as they make their migration each year.

This project highlights the crucial role butterflies and other pollinators play in sustaining Earth's ecosystems. The drastic decline in monarch populations, largely due to the loss of milkweed along their migration paths, aligns with Echelman’s interest in exploring the interconnectedness of natural cycles and systems in our world.

The artwork explores perception by imagining how a flower appears to species like monarch butterflies, who see differently from humans. With compound eyes, they can view in all directions at once but perceive the world as a series of still images rather than a continuous scene.

“Great art enhances our lives and causes us to step back from our daily routines and think about the world we live in,” Craig Hall, founder and chairman of Hall Group, previously said. “Janet Echelman’s unique works have inspired millions around the world, and we are thrilled to bring her newest creation to the great city of Frisco.”

Situated near the Dallas North Tollway at Warren Parkway in Frisco, Texas, Kaleidoscope Park spans six acres, within close proximity to prominent attractions such as The Star, Stonebriar Centre, Legacy West, The Shops at Legacy and The Boardwalk at Granite Park.

Learn more about the upcoming grand opening event here. The event will feature food trucks, live music by Emerald City Band, kids' activities, lawn games, craft beer, cocktails, dance performances, yoga, meditation and more.

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