“Flight” Sculpture during the 50th anniversary celebration.

Standing between Fullerton Public Library’s Main Branch and City Hall, artist Aldo Casanova’s Flight, the first piece of public art in Fullerton, is now flying toward local landmark status as it celebrates fifty years in the community. I was one of over forty people who attended the city’s commemoration ceremony for Fullerton’s Bicentennial sculpture on July 10, 2026. 

Flight’s 50th anniversary celebration was held underneath a sweltering summer sun. Many of the red, white and blue balloon displays that city staff had set up at the beginning and the end of the walkway, which passes directly by the piece of public art, were popping, sounding like fireworks. Quite a few local residents, Fullerton Public Library Trustees and library and city staff who attended were gathering in the shade of City Hall. 

Anita O’Keefe Torres, the director of Fullerton Public Library, spoke in front of the Flight sculpture to commemorate the public art piece’s 50th anniversary.

As people waited, they had a chance to view a few historical artifacts, including photographs, books and displays about the sculpture, which had all been preserved and taken out of the Fullerton Public Library’s Local History Room by archivist Cheri Pape. There were also light refreshments provided by Porto’s Bakery. Around 10 am, once everyone had arrived, Anita O’Keefe Torres, Director of the Fullerton Public Library, Sueling Chen, Chair of the Fullerton Public Library Board of Trustees, and Ernie Kelsey, Fullerton Heritage President, delivered short speeches to start the commemoration ceremony.

O’Keefe Torres said, “As you all know, I’m new to the area, so I’m also new to the Flightsculpture, and as people were explaining the sculpture to me, I heard many different interpretations of what it might be. I heard a paper airplane. I heard a checkmark. I heard a book as it is being opened…and what I came away with is that I think that’s what art does; it helps your imagination take flight.”

City of Fullerton representatives stand in front of Flight.

She soon introduced Sueling Chen from the Library’s Board of Trustees, who wanted attendees to imagine back to 1976 when the nation was celebrating its Bicentennial. Chen said, “Here in Fullerton, we had a group of visionary citizens who asked one question: what can we create today that will inspire people fifty years from now?… Florence Arnold was the Chair of the Bicentennial Committee and spearheaded the whole project. And you know what the answer was? It’s not a parade; it’s not fireworks…the answer was a dream cast in a zinc and steel post, and that’s what we call Flight.”

I learned from listening to Chen’s speech that the sculpture almost didn’t happen because the cost was nearly $50,000, an expensive investment. The public library’s board at the time stepped up and made a large contribution along with many other donors and donations to make the sculpture happen. 

“The Library doesn’t just collect knowledge; they truly believe in investing in the imagination,” said Chen in her speech, “So, fifty years later, Flight is still here, looking at all of us… Artist Aldo Casanova believed in humanity’s journey into space and exploration, but beneath that is something more universal…creativity and the courage to be able to dream beyond what we already know. It’s the same as what our library believes in. Every book begins with someone’s imagination. Every scientific discovery begins with someone’s curiosity. Every great invention begins with someone asking ‘what if.’ So perhaps that’s why Flight belongs here.”

Fullertonians arrive for the “Flight” 50th anniversary celebration on Friday, July 10th.

According to her, generally, with owner approval, the historic preservation organization, Fullerton Heritage, completes the nomination form. The property then goes before the Fullerton Landmarks Commission, and if recommended, goes before the City Council for final approval. She said that Fullerton Heritage currently has five properties pending approval, one of which is Flight.

Richey said, “I completed the nomination form…and I learned a lot about the history of how Flight was selected and installed, as well as information on Aldo Casanova and Jack Brogan, the fabricator. I did not realize that a lot of remarkable pieces of furniture and art by postwar artists had been fabricated by Brogan, including the Wiggle Chair with architect Frank Gehry.”

Entryway to trail leading to Flight sculpture outside Fullerton Public Library.

Cheri Pape, curator of the Fullerton Public Library’s Local History Room, was also surprised by the significance of Flight’s sculptor and fabricator. She discovered while researching with Deb that Casanova and Brogan were really prominent artists at the time.

“I am a big fan of Public Art in general. I don’t think Fullerton has enough,” said Pape. “I like that it is in our ‘civic center’ for the community to enjoy – as opposed to our WPA murals that are somewhat hidden. Love that this was the first piece that the City of Fullerton invested in. I was just hoping to get some signage for the sculpture’s fiftieth anniversary, but once we discovered we had a gem, Deb thought it was Landmark worthy.”

Ernie Kelsey, President of Fullerton Heritage, said, “It has been fun over the last six months talking about Flight. This was born out of Cheri Pape and Deb Richey…Now, Fullerton Heritage is working on having some signage that explains the background of Flight next to it. My favorite thing was learning about Jack, the fabricator, the unsung hero who went on to great things. As far as local landmark status, we’re waiting for the July 14th City Council meeting to see what’s projected on the next agenda.” 

Fullerton Heritage worked closely with Public Works, who, according to Kelsey, “did the remarkable job of cleaning out the plants and other vegetation that kept the sculpture from being viewed.” He also mentioned that city workers fixed the lights on the concrete base of Flight, so the sculpture is now more visible at night. 

Fascinating Fullerton residents for decades, the public art piece was designed to “symbolize the continuous movement from Earth to Space,” according to Aldo Casanova’s artist statement. So, the next time you’re driving on Commonwealth or walking between City Hall and the library, be on the lookout for the 40-foot-tall sculpture that is Flight.

Flight Sculpture between the library and City Hall.