Scottsdale isn’t just a place where art is displayed—it’s a place where art is woven into the fabric of daily life. With its robust public art programs, the city has made creativity a cornerstone of its identity. From sleek contemporary sculptures to interactive installations and desert-inspired designs, Scottsdale’s streets, parks, and public spaces double as open-air galleries.
Here are 12 of our favorite public artworks to put on your radar. Whether you’re a longtime local or just visiting, these works invite you to pause, reflect, and experience the city in a new way. Because here in Scottsdale, public art isn’t just decoration—it’s a conversation.
LOVE
Scottsdale boasts one of artist Robert Indiana’s famous stacked LOVE statues. Indiana created the initial one during the Vietnam War, and it became a symbol of peace. Now an iconic image, there are several on display around the world. Scottsdale’s is by Civic Center Park, and the large red and blue statue—which weighs 3,800 pounds!—is a popular backdrop for photos. 7343 E. Scottsdale Mall, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Soleri Bridge and Plaza
Renowned artist and architect Paolo Soleri created this unique artwork along the Scottsdale Waterfront. The piece also serves as a pedestrian bridge, solar calendar, and gathering place. The bridge, which is anchored by two 64-foot pylons with a six-inch gap between them, is situated at a true north axis, allowing it to mark solar events produced by the sun’s shadow. There are also some of Soleri’s famous Cosanti bells. 4420 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
One-Eyed Jack
Rising 26 feet high, this painted steel jackrabbit sculpture by John Randall Nelson stands watch on the corner of Marshall Way and Indian School Road, welcoming those who pass by. The sculpture is meant to be a reminder of Marshall Way’s history, as well as a nod to its future, as rabbits have been symbols of rebirth and cleverness. Here, it symbolizes the eclectic, artistic heritage of the area and the promise of a bright future. 7042 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Knight Rise
Arizona-based artist James Turrell is renowned for his works that explore the complexity of light as a medium. He’s known for his Skyspaces, one of which—Knight Rise—is in Scottsdale at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in the sculpture courtyard (it’s free to visit whenever the museum is open). Step inside and take a seat on the concrete bench that encircles the interior, then look up through the elliptical opening in the ceiling. The design makes it seem as if the sky is descending into the space rather than hovering above. It also affects the perception of the sky’s color. 7374 E. 2nd St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251
The Doors and Sound Passage
This installation is two artworks in one. From the outside, there are three massive doors leaning against each other. Titled The Doors and created by Donald Lipski, it is a sculpture made of South American hardwood, mirror-polished stainless steel, LEDs, and steel rivets and strapping. Step inside and you’ll feel like you stepped into a kaleidoscope, with its mirrors, multiple reflections, and light reflected from the sky. The experience is enhanced with Sound Passage by Jim Green, which offers a variety of unique sounds. Corner of Scottsdale and Camelback roads, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Jack Knife
An identifying landmark in Downtown Scottsdale, Jack Knife was the first large-scale sculpture created by premier Arizona artist Ed Mell. Modeled after Scottsdale’s official city seal—a ride astride a bucking horse—the bronze sculpture rises more than 8 feet high on its base. 7077 E. Main St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Copper Falls
Created by artist Robert “Bob” Adams, this artwork along the Arizona Canal consists of copper domes of various sizes. Water from the canal flows through the domes, which hang in front of backlit panels of frosted glass. The water falls at different depths to create different activities in the domes. 7201 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Swale
Attached to the guard rails, 176 powder-coated steel “blades” and “seed pods” greet those who pass by, on, or near this bridge. Created by artist Stacy Levy, the installation’s inspiration was the vegetation that grows in the nearby Indian Bend Wash. The blue blades represent the flowing water that runs through the wash when it rains. 7825 E. Thomas Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85257
Aspire
Located in the Scottsdale Airpark in the multi-lane roundabout is this sculpture by Simon Donovan and Ben Olmstead. The artwork is intended to evoke the aspiration of flight, with figures perched on one another’s shoulders and the top figure soaring. The concept is to “uplift and inspire the spirit.” To make this sculpture, thousands of stainless-steel washers were individually welded together on top of sculpted foam and plaster figures, which were then cut apart and removed, and the remaining “skin” made of the washers was welded around an interior structure of steel tubing, according to Scottsdale Public Art. 15599 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Bronze Horse Fountain
This iconic sculpture and fountain in Old Town Scottsdale were donated by Bob Parks, an art gallery owner and artist, to attract visitors to the arts district shops and galleries. There are five champion Arabian horses, which were modeled after horse breeder Tom Chauncy’s award-winning Arabians. Chauncy had a ranch in North Scottsdale, near what is now Scottsdale Road and the Loop 101. 7072 E. 5th Ave., Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Pinball Wizard
If you’ve wondered what those mosaic spheres and domes are by the Stetson Plaza Splash Pad near Marshall Way Bridge at the Scottsdale Waterfront are, they’re part of the Pinball Wizard artwork by Annette Coleman. There are 30 of the spheres and domes, in varying sizes, along with inset waves of vertical glass mosaic pieces. There are also mosaic stained glass pieces embedded into the concrete. Coleman based the work’s name on popular culture, and says, “The spheres harken back to simpler times as children, playing jacks, shooting marbles, playing four square and competing as pinball wizards.” 7120 E. Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Water Mark
Drive down a certain section of Indian Bend Road and you’ll see metal horses lining the north side. Encompassed within the flood basin are five 14-foot-high åaluminum equine gargoyle sculptures, spaced 125 feet apart, each in a slightly different pose. Not only are these gargoyles interesting to look at, but they are part of the innovative flood control greenbelt. During flash flooding, water pours from the gargoyles’ mouths. At night, the sculptures are lit with both blue and yellow lights, representing water and the sun. The artists behind this installation were Laura Haddad and Tom Drugan. 7696-7598 E. Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85250
