Artist calls for public installments

Trying to navigate through throngs of pedestrians can evoke feelings of frustration until one comes upon a piece of sidewalk art that takes his or her mind off traffic, even if only momentarily.

In cities where artists have used their work to link communities, this kind of public art strikes curiosity within passengers and travelers, Jack Mackie, keynote speaker of the 21st Annual Yeager Symposium Lecture Series, said.

Mackie, with 27 years of practice in public art, has participated in major urban redevelopment projects in several major U.S. cities. On Thursday, in the final installment of this year's lecture series at the Francis-Booth Experimental Theatre, Mackie gave the Harry and Betty Wolfe Lecture. During his presentation titled "Towards a Civic Art," Mackie highlighted the importance of collaborations within the community to fix problems as they arise and move forward in making places public.

"Art makes people want to touch and interact with something they normally wouldn't want to," Mackie said.

Coming up with ideas to make places more public isn't the problem most communities face - it's coming up with the funding to proceed with these projects, Mackie said. The list of priorities within a community can be both frightening and engaging, but there are several projects that can be completed at low costs without overshadowing other problems in the community, such as potholes or police enforcement funding, he said.

"Artists are problem solvers, and when there's a problem, they are just drawn to it because the opportunities there are quite numerous," Mackie said. "…Artists know how to look, investigate and see things in the cityscape."

As Marshall University expands, Mackie said the university will have to come up with innovative ways to address problems and engage the community. One location in Huntington in need of aesthetic improvement, in Mackie's eyes, is the floodwall that runs parallel to Harris Riverfront Park. Mackie said with some art, the wall could be made intriguing enough to make people interested to discover what's on the other side.

Lindsey Rolfe, freshman education major, said she agreed with the concepts addressed during the lecture.

"The floodwall definitely should be altered, but I don't think there's enough money to make all the necessary changes," Rolfe said. "Paintings or murals could make a big difference."

Mackie said public artists have the charge to care for the health, education and welfare of the citizens in their communities by creating these beautiful objects. Something as simple as an artistic sewer cap or a tree grate can tell the story of a region and engage pedestrians, Mackie said.

"These are little jewels pedestrians find along the sidewalk, and they're easy and cost-effective," Mackie said. "These are things that anchor into a neighborhood and draw upon a neighborhood."

Incorporating community and history into things required for building, such as walls and floors, helps art come to life, and Mackie said he believed these are things that should be addressed now.

"Art can improve all the things you need as you walk through the city or campus," Mackie said. "It takes a lot of work, but it's time to start taking care of ourselves in new ways. Don't put this off on the next generation."

Melissa Newman can be contacted at newman36@marshall.edu.