New public art on display downtown

Something exciting is always going on in our area, and Thursday evening was no exception. Cape Girardeau launched the fifth public outdoor sculptures exhibition with a reception at the Vasterling Suites Courtyard on Broadway.

Congratulations to all seven artists, six of whom attended the opening, whose works will be up in downtown Cape Girardeau for a year. As the Southeast Missourian's Mark Bliss reported, "Chosen sculptures include the 'Bird House' by Andrew Arvanetes of DeKalb, Illinois; 'Eyes of Dawn' by Carl Billingsley of Ayden, North Carolina; 'T.H.E.B. Caution' by Jeff Boshart of Charleston, Illinois; 'Urban Forest' by Richard Herzog of Athena, Georgia; 'The Seeker' by James Johnson of Charleston, Illinois; 'Portal' by Tommy Riefe of St. Louis; and 'Grandiloquence' by Jillian Springer of Murphysboro, Illinois.

More than 60 people attended the opening, including Mayor Harry Rediger, who spoke of the role art plays locally whether one is artistically inclined or not. "I am so far from an artist," he admitted. "I can't even draw my face, but I know what art does."

Art does have a way of livening up an office, a living room and, in Cape, a street. Sara Moore, director of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, would agree, as would representatives from the council who served on the judging committee. Moore said, "Public art occupies a unique position in the art world." She explained that the easy-access, informal display sets it apart.

Each year is different; there is no echoing of previous exhibitions, which gives people something to look forward to. The 2017 exhibition boasts vibrant colors, shapes and variety. There's likely to be something you don't like, and something you do. In fact, how different people react to the same piece can be part of the fun in making a trip to view them. Our suggestion: park the car and walk.

The exhibition pays the artists $7,000 ($1,000 to each, who are responsible for getting the works to Cape Girardeau). Parks and Recreation and Old Town Cape do their part, and the National Endowment of the Arts provides half. Additional costs were referenced but not itemized by the Arts Council.

We encourage you to take a stroll down Broadway and enjoy the exhibit, and if you get tired and need a place to rest, consider the yellow and purple sculpture that was designed for people to "sit upon," "interact with" and "play with."

Thank you to the sculptors, judges, and contributors, for sharing your time and talents with our community.