We noticed two new works of art disguised as bike racks downtown today that are part of the ongoing bike rack program in Louisville. We’re not sure how long they have been in place, but here are the photos. Apparently, another rack was installed at the Fleur-de-Lis on Main building back in February (C-J) that we completely missed. These bike-rack-sculptures are located near the intersection of Fourth and Main Streets. Anyone seen any other new bike racks around town?
KFC 'Refreshing' a Louisville road (photo by KFC Corporation)
Last week, KFC announced it would repair the city’s potholes for free if a temporary “Re-Freshed by KFC” stencil could be spraypainted on top of the filled holes. With an estimated 350 million potholes nationwide, there’s a lot of work left for the Colonel. After beginning their campaign in here in Louisville, KFC Corporation is moving on to fill potholes in other cities, too. Letters were sent to mayors across the United States describing the offer:
“In honor of our “Fresh Tastes Best” campaign, we want to come and Re-”Fresh” your roads!” KFC president Roger Eaton says in the letter. “Every patched pothole comes with the Colonel’s very own stamp of approval.”
The Chicago Tribune reports that Chicago is among the cities “in discussion” with KFC even though they don’t allow advertisements on their streets. Four cities will be chosen for the program. The road-improvement campaign has already won Mayor Ambramson’s seal of approval:
“KFC has already tried out its campaign to stamp out potholes in its hometown of Louisville, Ky., earning a testimonial from Louisville’s Mayor Jerry Abramson who noted that “finding funding for needed road repairs is a continuing challenge.” The company will choose four other cities.”
While this stencil advertising isn’t new in Louisville (the IdeaFestival used temporary spraypaint stencils to market last year’s event), not everyone is happy about the free repairs. The Valley Report suggests the practice should be banned by law or opened up to everyone:
“My advice for every small business owner in Louisville would be to get a crew and start filling potholes on your own. Make sure you stamp your business’ logo on the road in bright white.”
The Tribune suggests the corporate sponsored repairs and services may be a rising trend. They cite branded public restrooms provided by Charmin in Times Square last December.
The Louisville Chemical Building on the corner of Jefferson and Hancock Streets has been for sale seemingly forever. At least before we first wrote about it last September. Since then, someone tagged the front windows and the graffiti was painted over with white paint blotches. Today we noticed thought bubbles on top of the white paint on top of the tags on top of the window. We’re wondering, what’s the building trying to say? Write your suggestions in the comments and we’ll choose the best one on Monday. Don’t be shy, the building certainly isn’t. When buildings talk, we listen.
Get ready, Indy. Possibility City is planning an invasion this Friday. We’re bringing lasers and we’re taking over your buildings. Seriously, that’s what’s happening. Louisville is invading Indianapolis armed with lasers. And when we’re through with Indy, we’re moving on to invade Chicago and beyond. It’s all going down during the Cardinals game Friday night when everyone will be distracted by a small orange ball. No one will see it coming (but we’ve already said too much).
You could call it government sanctioned light graffiti, but a cadre of Possibility City representatives, Convention & Visitors Bureau officials, and a team from local advertising firm Red7e will carry out one of the biggest publicity stunts ever. Termed “light tagging,” a powerful laser projection system will be beamed onto the facade of a large building near Lucas Oil Stadium and messages, images, and slogans “about why Louisville, and the Cardinals, are so great” will light up the night sky.
If you are planning on being in Indy Friday, stop by invasion headquarters in the parking lot of the Hurst Bean Company, 230 W. McCarty Street. U of L fans are encouraged to suggest messages for laser projection.
“This is a great way for us to leave a mark, albeit a temporary one, in Indianapolis,†Mayor Jerry Abramson said. “We want the people of Indianapolis to know that Louisville is a City of Possibilities, a city where a national championship is in the Cards.â€
We think it’ll be more than just a temporary “mark.” Indy will get the message… of Possibility… and all cities will fear the Louisville Lasers as the Possibility City (and the Cardinals) goes for national conquest. Here’s an example of what the light display will look like as practiced in Rotterdam by the Graffiti Research Lab. Any suggestions for messages in the comments.
Louisville knows how to deal with tragedy. The Windstorm 2008 might have been just the overture for the wreckage of Ice Storm 2009, but local artists have been busy transforming downed trees into works of art in classic Keep Louisville Weird fashion. We spotted our first stump sculpture in the Highlands last year and recently came across another on the corner of Sixth Street and Zane Street in the Limerick neighborhood. We were tipped off by a recent Old Louisville Journal that tells the story of artist Eugene Thomas and his sculpture entitled “Reincarnation”:
“First Eugene reduced the stump height to approximately 6 feet (human scale). Then he removed the bark and began his sculpture with his chain saw. Then he used wood chisels and rasps to introduce details. Depressions were filled with wood filler and he is has now completed three coats of the 10 anticipated coats of sealer.
“The sculpture can be viewed from all vantage points (having no front or back). It is of human scale and symbolically depicts transition from destruction to forward movement of progress and organization.”
There have been rumors floating around that one of the famous 21C red penguins has gone missing. And is it really all that far fetched? After all, a giant dinosaur was smuggled out of downtown last month and the KY Plate Glass man with the mirror ran off last October. The rumor had all the qualities of a great mystery: local celebrity, high society intrigue, and of course, red penguins. But, alas, there isn’t a penguin-napper to be had in this town. The penguins, made by the Cracking Art Group, have all been accounted for. The 21C Museum Hotel is home to 40 red penguins, each numbered from a limited edition run of 250. They were originally commissioned as public art for the 2005 Venice Biennale.
The museum believes the rumor may have started due to the fact that these birds get around, despite the fact that they are flightless. The red penguins migrate around the museum and occaisionally make it into the Proof bar for photo ops. They even made it out to the Ryder Cup this year. But they always make their way back home. So, in the end, the tale of the penguin-thief is little more than River City lore.
One of downtown’s signature sculptures went missing today. It seems that the triceratops guarding the riverfront at the foot of Eighth Street was whisked away by crews and taken back to their workshop for repairs. Has the Grinch stolen Louisville’s dinosaur on Christmas-eve-eve? It’s unclear when or where the creature will return, as the old electrical tower on the Museum Plaza site adjacent to the dinosaur’s stomping grounds will soon be dismantled. We always enjoyed the contrast between the plastic dinosaur and the massive steel one looming overhead (see photo above).
In a classic Keep Louisville Weird moment, a tree stump we are guessing was left from the wreckage of Hurricane Ike has been carved into what appears to be a chair consisting of two rather large lizards. The piece of art is located in the Highlands-Douglass neighborhood on the corner of Hampden Court and Grasmere Drive. May lizard duo keep watch over the street and all who pass by.
