Top headlines of the week, Sept. 19 2025
Here are some stories you may have missed this week in central Ohio.
A public art installation in Dublin, Ohio, called “Field of Corn,” was recently ranked among America’s ugliest public art.The sculpture features 109 human-sized ears of corn and memorializes the area’s agricultural history.Despite mixed reactions, the 31-year-old installation remains a popular landmark and conversation starter.
Though it may come as a surprise, public art isn’t always meant to be beautiful.
It can also carry historical significance, reflect what a place once was and tell the story of an artist’s imagination.
That’s how the city of Dublin views its public art, as pieces that are often more than what meets the eye. “Field of Corn (with Osage Oranges)” is a prime example.
The 31-year-old installation features 109 human-sized ears of corn, each averaging 6 feet 3 inches tall, sculpted by former Ohio State University professor of sculpture Malcolm Cochran. The work memorializes Dublin’s agricultural roots, preserving the story of farmland before industrial development.
Yet that story isn’t always obvious at first glance. Perhaps that’s why the Field of Corn ranked No. 22 on a list of America’s Ugliest Public Art by commercial art retailer Rivers Wall Art.
Alongside Cleveland’s “The Stamp,” 90 sculptures were identified by 2,000 people who voted these pieces to be aesthetically displeasing, such as ambiguously large objects.
For Cochran, now 76, the ranking is further proof that his decades-old sculpture continues to command attention.
“I wasn’t disturbed,” Cochran said. “The way the piece has survived and the way it has been cared for by the city of Dublin, it has become a true landmark, that’s wonderful from my perspective.”
Why ‘ugly’ doesn’t mean meaningless: The story behind Field of Corn
Unveiled in 1994 after Cochran’s 1993 proposal, Field of Corn acts as both a roadside attraction and a memorial to Dublin’s agrarian roots planted across what used to be farmland owned by Sam Frantz, an innovator in hybrid corn.
Leaders of the Dublin Arts Council say the public’s first impulse, to judge art by whether it looks good, misses its larger purpose.
“Often people think about public art as something that is aesthetically pleasing or not,” said Merijn van der Heijden, executive director of the Dublin Arts Council. “But there’s much more to art than the way it appears.”
Raygan Barrett, the arts council’s design and marketing director, added that Field of Corn is meant to be experienced intimately.
“His intention was to commemorate history in the way of the farming process and how it was dying at the time,” Barrett said. “There’s more to it than what it looks like.”
Cochran describes the work as “haptic” — inviting a bodily response, like standing next to a tall individual.
“Because they are a little bigger, kids naturally hug them,” Cochran said, emphasizing its tactile intention.
Despite its mixed reactions, Field of Corn continues to draw visitors and spark conversation. In June, Columbus Monthly named it Best Public Art for the city, along with another one of Cochran’s pieces.
Cochran said he believes that the work’s endurance and the debate it generates show it has achieved something rare — people still care.
Dublin will celebrate another public art addition: Ivan Depeña’s “S/WING,” scheduled to debut for the 50th anniversary of the Muirfield Memorial Tournament in 2026.
Trending features reporter Amani Bayo can be reached at abayo@dispatch.com.