It all started with taking something so boring called a ‘utility’ box and turning it into art.
Last year, Jeffersonville’s vision for a more pretty city started to take shape with the painting of about a dozen utility boxes. Artists transformed the drab features on posts around town into something appealing and fun. One even sports Pac-Man.
That was just the beginning. What residents and the increasing number of visitors to the city — thanks to the Big Four Bridge opening — are seeing is a blooming of public displays of expression.
“There’s a lot going on,” Hallie Jones, co-owner of Louisville-based The MAMMOTH Creative Art Service told the News and Tribune earlier this month. “Jeffersonville is about to have a public arts explosion.”
The MAMMOTH is part of City Canvas, which also counts the city’s Public Arts Commission — founded just two years ago — and the Jeffersonville Arts Alliance as its members.
“It’s our intention to set this up so it’s flexible and it allows for lots of groups and organizations to be involved and to partner and do projects,” Jones said.
The arts push even has competitors for the next mayor’s race — City Council President Dennis Julius and Mayor Mike Moore — brimming with praise for the project, and those two seldom agree publicly.
That makes sense, as it’s hard not to like the city’s move to beautify itself. There’s more on the way, in the form of a permanent steel version of New Albany artist R. Michael Wimmer’s creation, which was unveiled this week in prototype form at 10th and Mechanic streets.
Simply titled “Jeff,” it features seven red “men,” each one gradually rising from the berm, “jumping into the future,” as Wimmer describes.
That’s not all — sculptural benches, bike racks and painted crosswalks downtown will soon be appearing.
“If everything stays on track, we will have added close to 40 pieces of public art in this city” by the end of the year, said Shane Corbin, planning and zoning director for the city and arts commissioner.
Add in old bicycles that have been transformed to planters downtown by City Pride, and you’ve got a city finding its beautification groove.
The volunteers at City Pride, Corbin, city administration, council members — specifically Councilman Nathan Samuel — and many others deserve praise for seeing what Jeffersonville can be rather than what it simply is.
Public art builds pride in a place and gives a city character. It also builds community.
“[Residents here] want public art. And they don’t want public art happening slowly,” Jones said. “They want it now. They want it last week.”
We commend those who are making that desire a reality.