11 Murals PUBLIC ART CONCEPTS COMING SOON
More Than
By Candice Baxter Photography by Larry Kuzniewski
W
hen people think of public art, usually a mural comes to mind. In Germantown, it means horse sculptures. But this April, the City kicked off a Public Art Master Plan that solves problems, fosters connection and touches on so much more than visual appeal from afar. The focus lies on placemaking, creating destinations through thoughtful, meaningful installations. As part of the Forward 2030 Plan, the Public Art Commission was formed to give residents a voice on values and themes. Chairperson Amanda Littlejohn says, “I think it’s really important that residents see themselves reflected in their surroundings and feel connected to their environment.”
FORMING A PLAN Serving as a consultant for five years, the City hired Cat Peña as a part-time Public Art Manager in 2019. She is a practicing artist, perhaps most recognized for the blue streamer installation in the Edge District of Memphis, a creation to draw visitors of Sun Studios down the street. “Public art can be a problem solver,” she says. In Germantown, she has coordinated the color gradient painting of the walls around the upstairs track in the GAC and the locally created moth-stamped tiles in the First Horizon Foundation Plaza at the Grove. Peña enjoys collaboration with other artists as well as the different departments of city government. “Working together and finding ways to incorporate public art into capital improvement projects, it gives legs to the work in a way that one person cannot.” On the administrative side, the City applied for and won the NEA Our Town matching grant to fund the development of a detailed 92 page Public Art Master Plan. She emphasizes that projects in the plan are funded in a variety of ways, not entirely built off the backs of tax dollars. “It is unique for an administrator to practice art and also lead large projects. The experience to see both sides makes the project more holistic.”
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Germantown Magazine
Cat Peña, Public Art Manager
