Right Around the River Blog

The Proper Homecoming

Post Date: 11-17-2010

An important Richmond native came home today and decided to settle down at Rocketts Landing. This "local" goes by the name of "Deep Water Sponger."

You may be asking yourself, "Who is "Deep Water Sponger'" and "where has 'he' been?" I know I did, so I reached out to his "creator," Charlie Ponticello, to get more information.

In speaking with Charlie, I learned that this new member of the Rocketts community has an important message to share. The one-ton public art sculpture is part of a series of "spongers" designed to create a sense of urgency for protecting and conserving our planet's water resources. The words "No Water, No Life" are engraved on the Sponger's base as a reminder of the sculpture's main purpose – to be a symbol of man's concern for his environment, and ultimately, well-being.

"He has traveled along the East Coast to Baltimore's Inner Harbor and the campus of Johns Hopkins University to share the 'dark' message that we can no longer ignore our situation on earth. We need to be aware of the quality of the natural resources that are vital to our survival," Charlie told me. "The Sponger is lovable and enjoyable, which makes this critical message easier to swallow."

The impressive art piece is a mixed media sculpture with a large cast iron figure (the Sponger) as the centerpiece and cast stone gears as its base. The Sponger was cast by OK Foundry using a method called "no-bake molding." Some of the cast techniques were put into practice for the first time on Sponger, and the successful production was in large part due to Charlie's extensive experience with mixed media sculpture.

"He is moving from an educational space [Johns Hopkins] to a public space where he belongs. I simply could not think of a better place for him to rest,” confirmed Charlie. "He has a personal relationship with the James River - he is coming home."

I agree with Charlie. I could not think of a more appropriate home - overlooking the water in one of Richmond’s Best Communities*.

* Voted Best New Community four years in a row by Richmond Magazine readers (2006-2010).