Ascension in Coffman Park, near Columbus, Ohio

Step off the path and you’ll see how the glass forms in Ascension start to catch and scatter the daylight. Set on the open grounds of Coffman Park in Dublin just northwest of Columbus, the sculpture invites a slow walk around it so the angles and transparency shift with your point of view.

Created by artist Brian Russell, Ascension pairs cast glass with forged aluminum to suggest a steady upward motion. Installed in 2007 as part of the City of Dublin’s Art in Public Places collection, it’s an outdoor piece you meet at your own pace, with no ticket line or entry desk to navigate.

The experience is simple. You arrive at a park setting, the work rises from the landscape, and your perspective does the rest. The aluminum framework reads as a clean spine while the glass elements pull in the light and sky, changing subtly through the day and season. It’s one of several artworks installed across Coffman Park, which makes it easy to turn a short visit into a broader stroll among public art.

For those tracing the materials and making, Ascension’s combination of cast glass and hand-worked metal rewards a close look. Edges, joins, and the balance between mass and lightness give a sense of craft you can appreciate from a few feet away without barriers.

• General location: Coffman Park in Dublin (northwest of Columbus)
• Type: Outdoor public sculpture
• Artist: Brian Russell
• Installed: 2007
• Materials: Cast glass and forged aluminum
• Access: Open-air setting, no ticket required

If you want a quick, no-reservations stop to see public art while exploring greater Columbus, Ascension fits neatly into a park visit.

Published: August 28, 2026