The "Art On Gist Street Project" creates a unique art street with paintings and sculpture. The paintings would be created on panels attached to homes and businesses along Gist Street in the Uptown neighborhood of Pittsburgh and would be elaborately framed to simulate a larger than life street gallery.
The first painting created in September/ October of 2005 features Jean Foss an American painter now living In Oaxaca Mexico. Jean's playful, imaginative style is a great beginning in our vision of several artists creating high quality works of art on Gist Street over the next four years -- The goal of our project is to positively transform the visual atmosphere of this depressed, at-risk neighborhood. Jeans painting was partially funded by the Pennsylvania Partners for the Arts.
Gist Street is a short street located in Uptown, a neighborhood of distinct contrasts: residential households, business establishments, educational institutions, social service organizations, prostitutes, and drug dealers all line this critical corridor that links Downtown to Oakland -- the Southside to the Hill District. Part of the uniqueness of Uptown is that unlike many neighborhoods in Pittsburgh it boasts a truly diverse population. In the short two blocks of the proposed project live a racially diverse collection of long-time residents (some spanning several generations), businesses, students, and artists. With a few new businesses moving in and cultural events happening, Uptown and particularly Gist Street is beginning to experience the very first signs of revitalization. The paintings and sculpture will add color, style, and narrative to this decayed urban environment by changing the reputation of Gist Street from a place where prostititutes do business, to an "art street" where people slow down to see what's new.
Gist Street already has one work of art: a sculpture of the head and hands of King Kong made by James Simon at his 305 Gist Street Studio. King Kong, who peers out over a garage door is loved by neighbors and passing motorists who often stop to say how much they like having the big art gorilla in Uptown. Neighbors bring their kids and friends by. In this way, the addition of these various works of art will begin to enhance Gist Street as a unique point of interest.
