PHOTO/RELEASE: One Meter at a Time: A Temporary Public Art Project = Reception 12/5 at LCC

City of Dallas sent this bulletin at 11/21/2014 06:37 PM CST

ONE METER AT A TIME: A TEMPORARY PUBLIC ART PROJECT

ARTISTS’ RECEPTION: Friday, December 5 from 5:00-7:00 p.m.


DALLAS: A playful public art project is delivering smiles as installations are revealed in unexpected places. One Meter at a Time: A Temporary Public Art Project is a partnership between the Dallas Police Department and the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs designed to contribute to the visual enhancement of Dallas streets. Artists were commissioned to transform parking meters in four Dallas neighborhoods: The Farmer’s Market, Deep Ellum, Oak Cliff and Downtown. A reception for the artists, to include comments from Dallas Police and Cultural Affairs representatives, will take place Friday, December 5 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak, Dallas, TX 75204. The event is free and open to the public.  

 

“Art can surprise us, make us think and make us laugh. These meters do all of these - as well as bring a sense of fun and delight to the streetscapes in these neighborhoods,” says Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs Interim Director, David Fisher. “It has been such a pleasure to work with our City partners on this project, and with the group of artists who have all embraced this rather non-traditional public art project in their own unique ways.”


From small sculptural works to colorful yarn ornamentation, the designs bring a bit of caprice to common objects and connect the public with art in informal and unexpected settings. Artists were commissioned to conduct “creative interventions” involving the transformation of 60 parking meters using decorative paint, removable graphics or wraps.

Each artist was given 10 parking meters to design and received a stipend of $500 for their work. Participating artists include Sara Lovas, Ronda Van Dyk and Sally Ackerman, Katherine Rodriguez, Erica Guajardo, Marilyn Vicente and Steve Cipriano.


“We’re pleased to partner with the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs on this project, “says Dallas Police Chief David Brown. “The Parking Meter Project brings a sense of creativity to Dallas streets by transforming ordinary objects into something special. We think they will create a fun sense of surprise for the public.”


The parking meters are located in four Dallas neighborhoods: the Farmers Market (on Cadiz Street between S. Pearl and S. Harwood), Deep Ellum (2700 Main and Commerce between Crowdus and Pryor), Oak Cliff / Jefferson Boulevard (200 block of W. Jefferson at S. Madison in front of the Texas Theatre / Oak Cliff Cultural Center and on the west side of the Texas Theatre), in downtown Dallas (1900 block of Elm across from The Majestic Theatre).


One Meter at a Time Public Art Project is a temporary art exhibit. These creative interventions are to be in place for 6-12 months. After this time, the artwork will be removed at the discretion of the City of Dallas.

 

About The Public Art Program 

The Public Art Program works to enrich the quality of life for the citizens of Dallas and enhance the cultural appeal of the City to visitors by overseeing the integration of high-quality visual art into public spaces. The Program provides opportunities for local and regional artists as well as visual artists from around the globe through commissions of works of public art. The program also supports donations of public art to the City of Dallas that are subject to a review process for acceptance that includes members of the Public Art Committee and the Cultural Affairs Commission. The Public Art Program is a division of the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs. http://www.dallasculture.org/publicArt.asp

 

About the Office of Cultural Affairs

The Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) provides opportunities for all Dallas citizens and visitors to have access to the arts and the means of cultural expression. The Office of Cultural Affairs works with its citizen advisory board, the Cultural Affairs Commission, to foster the development of the cultural system in Dallas. OCA provides a variety of programs and services, including the management and operations of seven cultural facilities, a public art program, cultural funding programs and WRR Radio. More information on the Office of Cultural Affairs’ programs can be found on its website at http://www.DallasCulture.org.