The tour will be guided by historian Kevin Rose.
Promotion for the event said: “From the Community Walls Project of the 1970s to Project Jericho’s work in the 2010s, public art has played a key role in shaping Springfield’s urban environment and giving live to local revitalization efforts.”
Rose and the virtual Public Art Crawl will explore several significant works, including Gaia’s Hattie Moseley mural, Mariah Kaminsky’s Rose City mural, and Ronald Bladen’s Oracle’s Vision sculpture.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
Springfield city officials plan to remove the Oracle’s Vision sculpture from in front of the city building where it has been displayed on City Hall Plaza for more than 40 years. The city is performing extensive renovations to the plaza, adding other art, and officials felt the sculpture no longer fit with the vision.
Some residents have said the piece is now part of city history and should remain. Art experts said the sculpture was specifically designed for the space on the plaza.
City Manager Bryan Heck said the work will be removed and stored, but it will find a new home.
The Hattie Moseley work is the most recent, and largest, of the public murals in Springfield. The colorful piece on the WesBanco building on East Main Street honors Moseley, a Black woman who battled the segregation of Fulton School a century ago.
Internationally-recognized artist Gaia, with the help of local artists, did the mural.
Registration is free for the event that will be conducted by Zoom webinar. The event will be also streamed live on Westcott Facebook page.
The Westcott Center for Architecture + Design’s Summer Tour Series includes virtual and in-person tours, including some by bicycle and some during happy hours. They feature diverse subjects and fascinating stories with local architects, curators, historians and professionals who guide each tour.
To register, go to www.westcotthouse.org/ and search for Summer Tour Series, or click here: REGISTER.