(Not so obvious) Public art in Charlotte

On the heels of contemplating the relevance of art, yet another reason to care:  Imagine our city as a girl in jeans and a white T-shirt.  Unless she’s super hot (and sorry, but we’re not), this is a boring, uninspiring look.  But throw on some funky jewelry, an embellished belt, a brightly colored handbag, and a sexy pair of heels and her jeans and T-shirt just became an outfit.  The following is a list of my favorite public art “accessories” – some obvious, some overlooked, and some unintentional – that give our city some style.

Jesus Saves: If this is your motto, you would love the retro block-lettering signage that says just that atop an old, abandoned, asbestos-filled church just off West Trade in the Wesley Heights area.

Frazier Park Tunnel Mural: Every time my dog and I walk through the tunnel under Fourth Street, I feel I’m transported back to “The Wonder Years” era when the parks were filled with children and picnics, rather than the homeless and drug pushers.  And the truth is, the latter is what I sometimes find along that path.  But with a little paint and artsy vision, the floral mural that decorates the otherwise dark tunnel transforms the mood.

Wind Silos: Whoever said you couldn’t polish poop clearly hadn’t met Ned Kahn – the artist who was able to sex up a dull, unsightly parking garage on West Trade with a mirrored mosaic of metallic fabric that moves with the wind.

The Green: Maybe it’s just the writer in me, but this uniquely playful homage to the literary world is my sugar-free version of Willy Wonka’s factory.  If you stop to read and admire the floating storybook pages or animated artwork, you might feel a sudden, inexplicable urge to pee, brought on by the audible walkway of water sounds.

Firebird: Seated outside the Bechtler Museum, it’s the latest edition to Tryon Street’s collection of commissioned art.  The sparkly, glittery outdoor sculpture of mirrored and colored glass is a great departure from the bronze, aluminum, or granite blandness that decorates the other parts of Tryon.  The Firebird adds a kooky joyfulness to our corporate city streets.

So next time you balk at a few extra dollars being spent on sexing up our city, just ask yourself –would you rather look at a girl in jeans and a T-shirt everyday?

~ Amanda Pagliarini