A collection of murals on an exterior wall of Jackson Place condominiums at 1010 Jackson St. in Columbus were removed because the works became unsafe, with some pieces falling off the building.
“We rather reluctantly had to take it down,” said Chris Price, secretary of the Jackson Place Association that owns the parts of the building beyond the residents’ individual units, including some of the exterior of the building.
Price added that association leaders are working to return the scenes to the artists but need the artists or those who know the artists to contact the association.
“If they want to retrieve their art, we can facilitate that,” Price said.
Association leaders currently are formulating a plan to do that with the help of Columbus Area Arts Council.
However, four of the four-foot-by-foot works disintegrated while workers were removing them.
Price also explained new siding is being installed on the structure, which also required the art to be removed.
The 83-panel scenes on a 40-foot-by-50-foot spread originally were installed in June 2009 as part of a Columbus Area Arts Council mural contest, “Dreaming of a Greener Columbus.”
Late local artist and muralist Catherine Burris coordinated the project that included groups as varied as Northside Middle School students and the Art Guild of Hope.
Some scenes highlighted how people could be in harmony with nature. Creators mentioned they hoped such scenes could encourage people to live more ecologically.
One scene showed a world blooming from a plant, with solar panels and wind turbines in the background.
Columbus residents Jan Lucas and Susie Sawin combined for two whimsical works, one of which depicted a hot-air balloon. Another featured farm work, windmills, compost and more. The duo won the top award in the contests’ Friends Category.
“It was definitely a very interesting, out-of-the-norm kind of thing for the use of a side of a building,” Lucas said. “It was just so fun. I was sorry to hear that it didn’t hold up a little better over time.”
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To retrieve art, artists may contact the Columbus Area Arts Council at [email protected]
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