Three Finalists Chosen for Merriam's Next Art Installation

Published on October 08, 2026

Three finalists have been selected for the city's next art installation, and you can weigh in now. Public comment is underway at the Merriam Community Center or online. A giant hand holding a butterfly. Steel arches with hidden mirrors. Rock layers with fossils. Check out each idea for the Streamway Trail at Chatlain Park below. 

"Flooded by Wonder" by Matthew Mazzota, Canton, New York

An 18-foot hand rises above the trail, and a Regal Fritillary butterfly rests on its finger. This Kansas native is getting harder to find, and Merriam's trails offer an abundance of places to rest. Its wings shimmer and change color as the light changes, so the view is different each time you pass. The stripes on the hand signifies the constant rising and lowering water table and the colors represent the different prairie plants like wild violets, the only food the butterfly's caterpillars eat.

"Crossing" by Asheer Akram, Kansas City, Kansas

Three rust-colored steel arches and three curved benches would sit in a field at Chatlain Park. From the trail, you'd see only quiet steel. Step inside, and the polished walls reflect the sky, the trees and you. Walk through the arches, sit on the benches, or climb. Kids are welcome, and the whole piece is wheelchair accessible. The arches are inspired by the original Merriam train depot, a nod to the 1880’s, when Campbellton became Merriam. The three benches sit at different heights, standing for the levels of flood water this ground has seen.

Untitled concept by W. Scott Trimble, Seattle, Washington

Trimble looked down for his idea. His sculpture would show the rock layers under Merriam, like limestone and shale, that formed over millions of years. Its curving shapes echo Turkey Creek and the glaciers of long ago, and colored pieces stand for fossils that help tell the story of the land. He hopes visitors will learn something about the ground they're standing on and feel connected to nature and the area's history.

Check out the designs and submit feedback here. 

What's next

Public comment runs through Nov. 5. The Public Arts Committee will review what residents say and a selection will be made Nov. 12. Artists will be notified on Nov. 13.