You step outside and are greeted with the vibrancy of colorful leaves, crisp air, and a cozy ambiance — the fall season has finally arrived!
September 23rd marks the first day of fall, and there’s no better way to kick off the season than by getting outdoors and enjoying all that’s around you — including public art! We’ve compiled a list of just a few of our favorite artworks to visit this time of year, and we hope you’ll have the opportunity to experience and learn more about them, whether that be online or in person.
Fall ushers in the holiday season, and many people head back home, spend quality time with friends and family, or take vacations. So, for our first artwork, we would like to introduce you to Pendulum Project by Mikyoung Kim.
Pendulum Project (2012). By Mikyoung Kim. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Collection. Courtesy: Alan Karchmer
Located in the customs area of the Washington Dulles International Airport, this piece uses lenticular technology to provide travelers with a visual experience that highlights NASA’s worldwide satellite imagery juxtaposed with local depictions of regional landscapes and plant life. “The project underscores contrasting pendulum conditions of time from the regional plant transformations during the seasons of the year to the global transformations of light in a 24-hour period as the sun orbits the earth,” writes Kim. If you’re an international traveler flying in or out of D.C., be sure to check out this artwork on your way in or out.
Fall wouldn’t be the same without the beautiful transformation of leaves changing colors. Created in 2013, Autumn Revisited by David Guinn unites the local neighborhood and the Philadelphia’s Palumbo Park community to create a space that connects the public to nature. The mural spans two walls along the Fleisher Art Memorial, with one side portraying two children playing in the park and the other side depicting a fall scene in the forest. The mural is a re-envisioning of Guinn’s 2001 artwork Autumn and was created after the lot in front of the original mural was developed.
Autumn Revisited (2013). By David Guinn. Mural Arts Philadelphia Collection. Courtesy: Autumn Revisited copyright 2012 City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program / David Guinn, Fleisher Art Memorial 719 Catharine Street. Photo by Steve Weinik
Next time you take a stroll in your neighborhood, take a moment to scope out the vicinity; you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much art surrounds you. And if you’re in Philadelphia, don’t miss the tremendous mural experience provided by Mural Arts Philadelphia.
As students head back to school to kick off the next year, we’re always eager to witness new art projects that come to fruition when school is back in session — take, for example, Seasons of Change by Klaire Smith located in Portsmouth, Ohio in collaboration with students from Portsmouth High School.
Seasons of Change (2021). By Klaire Smith. Ohio Arts Council Collection. Courtesy: Klaire Smith
This collaborative mural, an initiative made possible through TeachArtsOhio and the Ohio Arts Council, is installed on an exterior wall outside of Path Integrated Healthcare. The mural features large botanical imagery, transposed onto wood from linoleum block prints, to symbolize the changing seasons.
“Trees, especially during the fall season, inspire a great sense of awe and thoughtful calm. Sprout is a monument to this phenomenon.” – Mike Suri
Taking home the City of Lake Oswego’s People’s Choice Award in 2010, Sprout by Portland artist Mike Suri brings attention to the textures and details that often get overlooked in our busy lives as we go about our daily routines. Sprout is a beloved public artwork sited in downtown Lake Oswego along the Headlee Pathway surrounding Lakewood Bay. As you continue strolling around the city, don’t miss out on Lake Oswego’s Gallery Without Walls collection of outdoor artworks.
Sprout (2010). City of Lake Oswego Without Walls, City of
Lake Oswego Art Collection. Courtesy: Deb Hollister
Parks have always been a perfect place to discover and explore public art. A stellar example is Barbara Grygutis’ Luminarias: The Seasons, located at the entrance of Greeley, Colorado’s Twin Rivers Community Park. These four semi-transparent glass towers represent cyclical rhythms of seasonal change from winter, spring, and summer to fall, creating a space for all to relate in a personal or communal way.
Luminarias: The Seasons (2006). By Barbara Grygutis. City of Greely Art Commission Collection. Courtesy: Pat Alles
The towers serve as guides for park visitors and create a space for community activities, enhancing the park’s lively atmosphere. As the sun sets, the four towers illuminate, allowing visitors to enjoy their beauty any time of day.
We hope you enjoyed this month’s read and invite you to use our Art Near Me feature to uncover additional artworks in parks, libraries, or schools near you. Wishing you a safe and enjoyable fall season!
