Bob Ziller Blooms Birmingham Bridge

I was surprised early Sunday morning to get a call from my friend Bob Ziller, as virtually everyone I know would expect to hear back from me late in the afternoon rather than actually get me on the phone at that time. For some reason I was awake, and that was fortunate. I don't really enjoy documenting other folks' projects, but for Bob I'm usually willing to see what he's up to. So I pulled myself together and drove down to the Hive to find out what he had in mind. I quickly learned that it involved ladders, and secretly began to regret my decision. But when I found out what we were going to do, I got excited.

Bordering Fitzpatrick Street in the Hill District (a stone's throw from the house where Andy Warhol was born), there is this abandoned building that greets everyone at the end of the Birmingham Bridge. Bob decided to make some neighborhood improvements, and he wanted me along for the ride.

While I helped schlep some stuff back and forth (and manipulate some ridiculously unwieldy ladders), I discovered that Bob was perfectly capable of installing his work himself. That left me free to shoot a series of shots that ended up being pretty fun. Here I've included the before and after shots of the property. I can't imagine anyone would have any serious objection to this particular brand of public art. Bob plans to continue this activity, so please keep a look out for the next entry in the series.

In the meantime make it a point to travel northward over the Birmingham Bridge (from the South Side) sometime soon, because there is no guarantee this is going to last and it is really best experienced in person.

PHOTO CREDIT: David Grim

Sprout Fund Mural Preliminary Design Exhibition, Thursday, May 15 @ Concept Gallery.

Almost exactly a month ago I posted about my participation in the public arts, and my involvement on the Sprout Fund Public Art Advisory Committee. We held meetings to select a pool of artists who would then go before the communities with their proposals. We also chose the locations that would receive murals. I mentioned how impressed I was to learn how much effort was invested in making sure the selection process was as unbiased as possible. I couldn't go into any detail about the specifics of that meeting because everything said in that room was meant to be held in confidence. This policy no doubt helps ensure that the committee members feel free to share their opinions without provoking ill feelings outside of the meeting.

I do have to admit to having some difficulties in putting aside personal feelings about art and artists. Naturally it is expected of me to bring my aesthetic sensibilities to the process. Not only is individual taste at-play in the judging, but it is in fact significant overall in the decision-making process. It is not enough to be an adept craftsmen- prospective muralists must appeal to a group with wide-ranging preferences and attitudes toward art. The assessment of art is inherently subjective, as I've mentioned before on this blog. However, the people on the committee would not have been chosen had they not been recognized as respected arbiters of taste- at least in the view of the Public Art Program Manager.

Obviously with a dozen people on the committee, one's personal preferences will not always be selected in the end. That is exactly as it should be. Still it can be difficult to see one of your favorites rejected, especially if he/she happens to be a friend as well. Pittsburgh is not a huge city, and if you make it around to the galleries, you quickly meet many of the more prominent artists in town. I've been going to openings and exhibits for at least five years, and so I know many of the creators on a first name basis. It's inevitable that I would like at least several of them. Conversely, there is always the possibility that I don't like someone that applies. It's just as important in such a case to remain as objective as possible.

Anyway, for at least this year, we are done giving our input. And we were only responsible for narrowing the pool by less than half. From the remaining proposals, the communities will select who they want to work with. This year there were enough quality applications to provide several options for each mural site. There is no way to sway the community selections. Many of the people choosing among these artists will have conventional tastes. Others no doubt will have very idiosyncratic ideas about art. Ultimately there is nothing we can do to ensure that our favorites make it through to the end. That may or may not be lamentable, depending on your perspective. I will say that we juried through a wide range of creators, and many of them do more challenging work than what I've seen in murals currently around town.

But I don't need to tell you all of this... you can see for yourself! This Thursday, May 15th is the date for the Preliminary Design Exhibition. It opens at the Concept Art Gallery in Regent Square (1031 South Braddock Avenue), and runs from 6 until 8PM. This is your opportunity to compare and contrast, and see how strong the field actually is. Each artist will present their preliminary ideas for the murals themselves. In many cases this will be the first time they are seen by anybody other than their creators. These designs were not required to be completed and turned in with the initial portfolios that were evaluated by the Advisory Committee. So they are going to be new to me as well. I can't wait to see what this talented group of artists have come up with.

Pittsburgh Public Art and The Sprout Fund.

I'd have to say that I don't remember noticing much public art in the place of my birth (Allentown). There were probably some forgettable sculptures in the city parks. But there wasn't much of an emphasis on arts and culture. This is likely attributable to the fact that this smallish city is sandwiched in between New York City and Philadelphia (a Smithsonian Institute survey reported that Philly has more public art than any other American city). In most ways the place lived in the shadows of these historically significant centers. There is an Allentown Art Museum, which I remember frequenting now and again on school field trips. However I can't visualize a single piece that I ever saw there. The single most noted destination is probably the replica of the Liberty Bell (apparently it was brought through town back in the Revolutionary War days).

I certainly don't remember any public mandate to create murals in Allentown. Apparently there is an organization called Lehigh Valley Community Mural Projects that is trying to get something going in the city. Although from what I've read they have had difficulty getting the necessary funding. I have noticed that nearby Easton has had some success in creating these works. I don't think many people realize just how lucky we are in Pittsburgh to have a vast wealth of quality murals in our city and its environs. Unlike the Northeastern Corridor, this region does not have numerous nodes of cultural concentration. If the 'Burgh didn't make the effort, then Western Pennsylvania would be pretty barren.

Our citizens have a lot to feel proud about here in Pittsburgh. Great efforts have been made over the last decade to start incorporating more public art in our midst. The Sprout Fund was formed in 2001 to enhance the greater image of the city and its surroundings. Every year it provides funding for between 7 and 9 pieces, and the results are starting to accumulate nicely all over town. Many transitioning neighborhoods have been significantly brightened by the artwork completed by Sprout-funded muralists (38 so far). Along with other newly-formed projects, the organization is gradually making Pittsburgh into a "museum without walls". I'm impressed by these efforts- so much that when I was asked to serve as a member of the Public Art Advisory Committee, I happily accepted.

Prior to orientation at the Sprout Fund's new headquarters in Garfield (along Penn Avenue), I really had no idea how their locations or participating artists were chosen. I do know plenty of artists around town, and had heard about some of their experiences with the proposal process. I was anxious to learn how it was all accomplished. A couple of weeks ago the board examined the proposals submitted by individuals and organizations desiring to have a mural completed within their communities. There were many quality sites suggested, and it was a bit difficult to make our decisions. Various criteria are assessed, including location, visibility, community and organizational involvement. Every effort is made to ensure that objectivity prevails. Any inherent bias of a committee member is offset by the diversity and aesthetic variability of the remaining members.

This past week we got together again to review the results of our location rankings, and survey the artists who submitted their portfolios for review. There were a lot of submissions from artists this year. That meant that there was an avalanche of work to consider. I think everybody was heartened by the quantity and quality of folks wanting to create murals. It's a great reflection on the arts scene here that so many talented individuals want to share their gifts with the community. I was particularly pleased by the wide range of styles represented. As with the assessments of locations, we used a standardized rating system to minimize the extension of personal favor. I'm looking forward to seeing who the communities will choose from the selected pool of artists we decided upon. But more than anything else I'm excited to see the finished products of a process I was able to participate in. I can hardly wait to see the 2008 murals unveiled.

Maxo Vanka and St. Nicholas Church, Millvale, PA.

Earlier I wrote about a little-known local Pittsburgh gem called St. Anthony's. Certainly this collection of relics housed in the Troy Hill neighborhood is like no other in the world. But it's not the only unparalleled experience you can have at a church around these parts. In nearby Millvale sits another form of unimagined treasure. St. Nicholas Catholic Church ministers to the needs of a local community of refugees from war-torn Croatia and Bosnia-Herzogevina, as well as the historically entrenched populations from these countries that have lived in Pittsburgh for decades. There are actually two St. Nicholas locations within the parish- a situation that has been a source of confusion for many years. One of these physical structures is no longer in service, as it lies along a well-traveled corridor dominated by Route 28. Planned roadwork has sealed the fate of this church, and the building itself is most likely not long for this world.

Meanwhile the Millvale location of St. Nicholas is a regional (and perhaps international) treasure. The outward appearance and construction of this house of worship offer no clues to its exceptionality. Yet if you manage to gain entry inside, you will quickly become aware that nothing like it exists anywhere else. For on the inner walls of the church are painted striking murals, complete with social commentary and unique spiritual resonance. They were painted in the 1930's and 40's by Croatian artist Maxo Vanka. As the official church website points out-
"They represent the struggles of the Croatian people in the face of war and poverty in their homeland and as immigrants in post-industrial America." They are the artist's emotionally- drenched and troublesome gift to this nation's people. And they serve both as a reminder of the importance of faith, and as a warning of what humanity is capable of.

Vanka's personal belief in the futility of war and his sadness at seeing his homeland destroyed are made patently obvious through his work. After being commissioned by Father Albert Zagar to paint the murals in 1937, Vanka completed two cycles of paintings (20 altogether)- the first in an eight-week span that spring, and the second group in 1941. The latter works clearly demonstrate his anguish over the war in Europe. He set for himself grueling shifts of up to 16-18 hours a day, and sustained his energy with multiple doses of Coca-Cola. Zagar gave the internationally-renowned artist a freehand to depict whatever imagery he so chose. In doing so, Zagar empowered Vanka to create timeless works mixing secular and spiritual concerns in a manner wholly original.

The content of these murals is truly unforgettable. There are mournful peasants entreating God for support in their difficult struggles in the Croatian countryside. An angel in a gas mask looms over the congregation from high upon one wall. An anguished, crucified Christ separates two war-crazed soldiers. In a similar scene, the Virgin Mary desperately tries her hand at a peaceful resolution. On another wall an industrial robber baron sits at dinner and is served a cleansing course of fiery retribution by a skeletal hand. These are not the placid reassuring scenes of sanctification that a regular churchgoer becomes acclimated to. They challenge the viewer to seek the holy in the most trying of times.

Had these paintings been completed for a museum, they would inspire a constant stream of tourists from all over the world. As it is, they await the few who become aware of their existence through word-of-mouth. Since my initial exposure to them, I have tried periodically to see them again. But it's no use showing up on church property, hoping for the random chance. You must call ahead of time to see the murals. Fortunately the woman in charge of tours is accommodating, and will show you around for nothing but a freely-offered donation. If you happen to be in the Pittsburgh area, I am scheduling a group tour for this coming Monday at noon. Contact me (my e-mail is available through my profile) if you want to be included. The experience will leave an indelible mark upon you.