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Issue: 1052 Date: 10/21/2010
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聖路易市市容美觀加分
South Grand大道增添街頭藝術
South Grand Getting An Extreme Makeover and Some Unusual Street Art
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| Peat's pots are out, stainless steel panels are in. |
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【時報訊】聖路易市亞裔，尤其是越南裔移民較多之South Grand南大道地區日前獲得三百萬元經費，作街道整修及增添街頭藝術之用，您如果現在經過南大道就會注意到街口擺設之藝術品，為南大道加添色彩。
三百萬元之街道整建經費用途包括防水人行道、街樹、地磚、座椅、人行穿越道，紅綠燈控制等，而街頭藝術部份則是在各街口增添12個銅製圓桶藝術品，街道整建範圍由Asrenal到Humphrey街共六個街區。
這項獨特街頭的藝術品係由聖路易本地區藝術家Ben Fehrmann所創作，12個銅製圓桶藝術品(如圖)將會被設置在六個路口。這個街頭藝術可以「加強和提醒路人對車輛安全之注意及空間和距離之測度」。
12個藝術圓桶，分別為4呎8吋或6呎1呎大小之圓柱型藝術品，由於外觀藝術之色彩感覺，無論從那個角度看它，感覺它一樣大小。
藝術圓桶放在街口，用意使得街道變窄，所以行車得放慢速度，因而讓行人方便穿越馬路，根據南大道社區改善執行主任Rachel Witt表示，在還沒有正式擺設圓桶藝術品前，路口會先放置藝術家Peat Wollaeger設計之“停車點”藝術品，行車和路人可以事先習慣這些設置。
為了怕有人會在藝術圓桶上塗鴉，Ben Fehrmann將會做多層透明蠟層包裹圓桶以利清潔，由於是鋼製品，腳踏車或行人碰撞不會有問題，但是汽車或公車碰到就會損傷，所以藝術家得多做幾個備用。
South Grand Getting An Extreme Makeover and Some Unusual Street Art
South Grand Boulevard is about to undergo a $3 million facelift. Starting this month and lasting until spring of 2011 as part of the "Great Streets" initiative, a six block stretch from Arsenal to Humphrey Street will get new rain-absorbing sidewalks, trees, planter boxes, bike racks, benches, crosswalks, lighting, synchronized traffic lights and more.
And by more, we mean an art project that will "enhance pedestrian's awareness of the effects of motion parallax on their understanding of space and distance."
What exactly does that mean?
The art is by St. Louis native Ben Fehrmann, and it is a series of twelve plain steel panels, mounted upright on bases and located in new "bump outs" that will be installed at intersections along South Grand.
The panels range in size from four-feet-by-eight-inches to six-feet-by-one-foot, but the allure lies in the fact that they will be strategically placed so that no matter where you stand on the street, all the panels will appear to be the same size.
The panels will be located in new intersection "bump outs" that are intended to narrow the streets, slowing traffic and making it easier for pedestrians to cross.
Rachel Witt, executive director of the South Grand Community Improvement District, explains that to test the bump outs, the organization installed the "parking pots," which were decorated with stencils by artist Peat Wollaeger. When the new bump outs are installed, the parking pots will be gone for good, replaced by the high-concept steel panels.
"The reason why we loved this artist is that you're not going to stare at the ground," Witt explains, noting that panels were chosen over a sidewalk mural after a call for artists went out earlier this year. "We want people to take in the architecture and you notice this by walking instead of looking down. It's a 'Who wants to look down at the sidewalk?' type of thing. We asked him to create a little plaque to put next to each piece so people can understand it."
With their plain faces and high-visibility, it seems likely that the panels will be a magnet for graffiti and vandalism. As a result, the artist notes that each panel will be slathered with "multiple clear coat layers" and "thoroughly waxed," so that they can be easily cleaned. They are said to be durable enough to serve as hitching posts for bicycles, but the artist notes that he's making a few back-ups just in case "a panel is irreparably damaged by a wayward bus."
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