Like so much public art in Wichita, I drove down Central between City Hall and the County Courthouse, and never really paid attention to the giant sculpture standing in the shadow of City Hall.
The statue is called “Prairie Transition” or more commonly called, “wheat stalks.”
“Prairie Transition” was created by Kenneth Bell and Rex Applebee and it was dedicated in 1977. This was just a few years after city officials angered Wichitans by purchasing the Tripodal which still sits near Century II. The city leaders were careful about picking another sculpture.
Courtesy: Wichita Eagle
Courtesy: Wichita Beacon
According to an article in the Wichita Eagle on May 28, 1995. The sculpture was picked after, “Two years of meetings, polls and assorted hassles over both design and site. In a city competition, it bested proposed fountains and abstract sculptures and an entry from as far away as Florence, Italy.”
At the time, some city commissioners said they approved the piece, but still didn’t like it.
The sculpture is 30 feet tall and made from Cor-Ten steel and bronze at a cost of about $35,000.
It was originally intended for the front lawn of City Hall but was quietly changed to the side yard.
Rex Applebee and Kenneth Bell were both born in Kansas. Bell in Chanute and Applebee in Salina. Bell taught high school art before moving to Lincoln where he worked at Bankers Life Nebraska. Applebee taught welding in California and moved to Lincoln in 1960 to work at Woodmen Accident and Life.
Courtesy: Wichita Beacon
At its dedication in May 1977, Bell told the Wichita Eagle “I’m the artist half. But we work together on the designs to determine exactly what’s needed. Then we render and discard, render and discard, ‘til we get it right.”
Applebee responded, “I’m the welder, I couldn’t draw if my life depended on it, but give me a piece of wire and I can do it. Funny how that works.”
Courtesy: Wichita Eagle
“Ken and I, we just have a lot of fun,” Applebee told the Wichita Eagle, “This was our hobby.” Up until “Prairie Transition” they had made around 63 small fish and animals. Their only other big piece was a wheat stalk officially named “Bountiful Prairie” at the intersection of Van Dorn and Coddington Avenue in Lincoln.
Applebee retired in 1981, Bell died in Lincoln on January 27, 1995.
Applebee said, “I feel like if you get one big piece like this in a lifetime, you’re very lucky. And we’ve had two. So, we really don’t have a right to expect any more.” adding, “we made that thing to last, it’ll stand there forever. A tornado wouldn’t even take it, I don’t think.”
Applebee passed away on July 31, 1998.
“Prairie Transition” stands as a testament to the city’s history, its art, and the collaborative spirit of two Kansas natives. Through the evolution of public opinion and the passing of its creators, this towering sculpture remains, inviting passersby to pause, reflect, and appreciate the enduring beauty and resilience of both the art and the community it represents.
To check out some other fantastic art pieces in Wichita click on How Great Our Art.