Forbes garage gets new ‘Uptown Rhythm’
By Kelly Horein
The Duquesne Duke

If you have walked down Forbes Avenue lately, you may have noticed a rather large and colorful addition to Duquesne's campus. Unveiled last Thursday, a 25-foot relief sculpture entitled "Uptown Rhythm" is now displayed on the wall of the Forbes parking garage.

A vibrant and exotic depiction of Pittsburgh city life, "Uptown Rhythm" was created by a local artist, James Simon, as a "gift" for his fellow Uptown residents. Simon was pleased to present his work last week to a group of about 100 community members and Duquesne supporters who gathered outside despite the frigid wind.

According to Dr. Evan Stoddard, associate dean of the school of liberal arts, the sculpture represents the importance of Pittsburgh's varied cultures and the happiness of "social coexistence" in a community.

In fact, "Uptown Rhythm" does display a colorful and lively representation of the people that live in Uptown and their distinct lifestyles. Simon explains that his work, molded from three tons of clay before placed in plaster and concrete, reflects not only the "integration of different people living together," but also the diverse architectural and cultural aspects of the area.

Simon, a Pittsburgh native, has spent much of his life traveling the world and admits that his love for different cultures directly influenced parts of his sculpture. For example, his time as a sculptor in Brazil is represented by the giant, exotic parrot at the top of the work. And, the sculpted musicians represent Simon's years spent as a violin-maker in England.

Senior music major Kate Scott, who was present at the unveiling, explains that this prominent theme of music in Simon's art references "Uptown at its height in the early third of the last century." She explains that during this time, culture, especially jazz, defined the neighborhood and its residents.

Regarding the question of how Duquesne students will be impacted by these recent artistic efforts, Scott explains her hope that Duquesne students will remember that they, too, are part of the Uptown neighborhood. At the unveiling, University President Charles Dougherty even announced that Simon's sculpture should be "a bridge between the university and Uptown cultures."

Kevin Bartolomucci, a sophomore physician's assistant major who also witnessed the unveiling of the sculpture, agrees with Scott and adds that he would love to return to Duquesne in ten years and "be completely surprised" by the change in the surrounding neighborhoods.

This relief sculpture is actually just one addition to the growing "outdoor art gallery" that Simon is creating in the Uptown area. By adding art throughout the community, Simon's goal is to change perceptions about Uptown and to focus on the neighborhood's positive aspects. He continues to explain that in a distressed community like the Uptown region of Pittsburgh, colorful public art can be a great catalyst in improving the area's appearance.

Simon adds that "his answer" to the crime and poverty in Uptown is to show that something beautiful can, in fact, come out of the area. Stoddard agrees, saying, "art like Simon's can only give hope and set a standard for behavior that is joyful and positive."