Brighton Heights artist works with students to create Bakery Square exhibit
It appears that two of the figures are holding up the building.
Called the “Larimer Caryatids,” the second art installation at Bakery Square in Pittsburgh’s East End was created by artist Lori Hepner of Brighton Heights. A “caryatid” is a Greek word and the name given to an architectural column that takes the form of a standing female figure.
Through a residency with students from Lincoln Elementary and Urban Academy in Larimer, Hepner and the fourth- and fifth-grade students created silhouette portraits of each other using a 6-foot light stick to make drawings.
“They look like they are dancing,” Hepner said at Tuesday’s unveiling of the exhibit in Bakery Square in Larimer. “I had a great experience with the kids. It is fun to see the students recognize their silhouettes.”
There are two 18-foot murals in the main Bakery Square courtyard, as well as a video component located to the right of the murals, which is more visible at night. It will be on display for six months.
The art installation is part of Bakery Square’s $20 million “refresh” which includes “Grow with Walnut,” where Walnut Capital, which manages the space, is investing in community-inspired initiatives. The first installation debuted this past summer.
There were 85 qualified applicants from 24 states. An advisory panel that included local art experts and community representation from Larimer Consensus Group selected the first three artists.
The inaugural mural was created by JanelYoung, a Beltzhoover native who lives on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Her design, which was installed on June 10, is called “Heroes on the Horizon.” It has been permanently installed at the parking garage entrance.
The public art program is a way to connect neighborhoods surrounding Bakery Square, said Gregg Perelman, Walnut Capital’s founding CEO.
He said the decision to extend the program was driven by positive feedback from the community. The goal is to work with children and “inspire their creativity.”
Students from Lincoln Elementary attended Tuesday’s unveiling. Those from Urban Academy were unable to because the school moved to virtual learning. There was entertainment by musicians from Carnegie Mellon University in Oakland.
Hepner, a professor of integrative arts at Penn State’s Greater Allegheny campus, has a photography background and has done residencies in coastal Norway, Finland, Iceland and the Canadian Yukon.
Her work has been featured in Time Magazine, Wired, and Next Level Magazine and has been exhibited at the Houston Center for Photography, Carnegie Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, in photo festivals in the Netherlands, China and Spain. One of her portraits and photographs will be sent to the moon in 2022 via MoonArk, a project of Carnegie Mellon University.
Nevaeh Washington and Jeremiah Moore, fifth graders at Lincoln Elementary said the art project was fun.
“I think I saw myself in the video,” Washington said.
All the children received stencils of the silhouettes, as well as hot chocolate, popcorn and cookies.
“Look how amazing this is,” Perelman said.
Lincoln Elementary visual art teacher Dino Deiuliis said these types of projects are empowering for his students.
“It gives them an outlet and they aren’t confined to a regimented answer,” Deiuliis said. “There is no right or wrong. They can just be creative.”
A third artist will be showcased in June — Curtis Reaves.
Reaves’ work involves video and photography, and he is the first Black artist to have art showcased at the Senator John Heinz History Center in the Strip District. His installation, “Remnant of Promise,” was showcased at the Carrie Blast Furnaces, illuminating the contributions and plight of Black steelworkers.
“I liked what he said in his interview about working with kids and schools on their level of resources and abilities and using photography, found objects, and other methods to make art accessible to all,” Donna Jackson, board of directors chair of the Larimer Consensus Group, said in a statement. “This is the kind of thinking and practice we need in Larimer, and I just have the highest hopes for Curtis and his project. I can’t wait to see what happens.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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