Joliet is maintaining, not creating public art

JOLIET – The recent uprooting of the Katherine Dunham statue at Union Station was a reminder of the public art created around the city before the recession hit.

These days, the city is only spending money on art maintenance – about $10,000 a year.

“The world came to an end in 2008,” said Kathleen Farrell, founder of Friends of Community Public Art, describing the halt to any additional orders for public art from the organization that created about 100 murals and more than 40 sculptures around Joliet.

The cost cutting that came with the recession put a stop to the painting of murals and sculpting of statues that told the story of people such as Dunham, a dancing pioneer of the 20th century who spent her school-age years in Joliet.

Since then, some of the murals, such as the depictions of the city’s sports legends under the railroad viaducts downtown, have been peeling away.

“The murals kind of fade with time,” Farrell said. “At some point, you have to decide whether to repair them or repaint portions of them.”

The city in 2014 began spending $10,000 a year to maintain the public art it has.

Public interest

The relocation of the Dunham statue at Union Station was not a maintenance matter.

The statue, located in the plaza area, was moved to make room for a new driveway needed for deliveries to the MyGrain brewpub scheduled to open in Union Station in July.

When news got out that the statue had to be relocated, the city began receiving requests and suggestions on where the Dunham sculpture should go next.

“I think that’s a good thing,” said Kendall Jackson, community development director for Joliet.

While the city had to consider where to send the statue next, the suggestions showed some interest and appreciation for public art.

Eventually, the city decided to keep the statue at Union Station, and it will be in what Jackson promises to be a “more prominent” setting than before – closer to the front entrance and more visible.

The Dunham statue is one of a few sculptures depicting important figures in Joliet history. Others include basketball great George Mikan and Sator “Sandy” Sanchez, a highly decorated bomber pilot in World War II.

The city consulted with the sculptor of the Dunham statue, Dante DiBartolo, on how to move it without breaking it. The bronze sculpture itself is sturdy, but the ceramic pedestal on which it stands is less so, and some tiles came off as it was moved.

Mural maintenance

DiBartolo said the pedestal can be repaired.

He also painted or participated in the creation of many of the murals in Joliet and has been involved in mural repair projects.

“I didn’t realize at the time we were doing it how impressive the work was,” DiBartolo said.

DiBartolo gained a greater appreciation for the murals when he saw them printed in an art book. But he said he sees the value of the murals and the sculptures as part of the Joliet cityscape.

“Some people don’t see value in art,” he said. “They see us doing these things, and they say, ‘Why are we spending the money?’ But they don’t realize we also spend money on landscaping. It all adds beauty.”

Keeping it beautiful can be a challenge – the murals, more so, than the sculptures.

“We had no control over the walls,” DiBartolo said. “When the walls deteriorate, the murals go with them. There’s nothing we can do about that.”

That’s been the problem with the murals of sports legends on the walls under the railroad viaducts at Jefferson, Van Buren and Clinton streets downtown.

“They’re terrible walls,” Farrell said.

Water leaking from the bridges above during rains has made the matter worse, she said.

Friends of Community Public Art has focused on safety first, taking down panel murals that are in danger of falling.

This summer, the panels on the Will County State’s Attorney’s building downtown, depicting the city’s Irish, Italian and Mexican heritage, will be taken down. They will be relocated to a spot or spots to be determined.

“I think what we’re doing now is maintaining everything we have, making sure everything is safe,” Farrell said. “And then some things will gradually fade away.”