November 21, 2024
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Joliet celebrates downtown ‘music boxes’ public art show

Visitors can scan QR code on artwork to listen to music it represents.

By Bob Okon
Priscilla Cordero, executive director of the Joliet City Center Partnership, talks about the Downtown Music Box Project before a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday for the 10 utility boxes downtown not covered with artwork depicting musical images. Oct. 30, 2024

Priscilla Cordero, executive director of the Joliet City Center Partnership, talks about the Downtown Music Box Project before a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the 10 utility boxes downtown not covered with artwork depicting musical images on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. (Bob Okon)

Joliet’s latest public art venture downtown was highlighted with a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week.

Downtown visitors now may notice utility boxes painted with images reflecting musicians and music.

Local artists joined the Joliet City Center Partnership and city officials at the brief ceremony Wednesday to call attention to the Downtown Music Box Project.

“The main reason we did this was to bring beauty downtown and promote our artists, but also to support or businesses downtown,” JCCP Executive Director Priscilla Cordero said.

Six of the 10 artists who created artwork for the Downtown Music Box Project prepare to cut a ribbon for a ceremony for the project on Wednesday. They are (left to right) Rene Rodriguez, Dante DiBartolo, Donna Franks-Tapley, Margie Keniley, Sarah Comoda and Angelica Cristal. Oct. 30, 2024

Six of the 10 artists who created artwork for the Downtown Music Box Project prepare to cut a ribbon for a ceremony celebrating the project Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. They are (left to right) Rene Rodriguez, Dante DiBartolo, Donna Franks-Tapley, Margie Keniley, Sarah Comoda and Angelica Cristal. (Bob Okon)

The Music Box Project is one of a number of efforts underway to enhance the downtown business district. Ten utility boxes now are covered with paintings designed to depict musical images.

Each utility box artwork also includes a QR code that visitors can scan to listen to the music it represents.

Artist Sarah Comoda of Romeoville said her box on Joliet Street depicts the song “Come and Get Your Love” by the rock band Redbone.

“It’s near and dear to my heart,” Comoda said of the song. “It’s about coming together for love, and it’s got a good beat.”

Comoda also was an artist for the downtown “Ready to Rock” project last year, which featured 12 sculpted guitars also depicting musicians and their music.

Artist Rene Rodriguez of Joliet, who also painted a utility box, is a muralist who has done a number of public art projects in the Chicago area and other states.

“I love being part of the city that I grew up in,” Rodriguez said of his contribution to the Music Box Project. “I’m happy that Joliet is supporting the arts a little bit.”

Joliet has added paintings to depict musical selections on the outsides of utility boxes at 10 locations downtown. Oct. 25, 2024

Joliet has added paintings to depict musical selections on the outsides of utility boxes at 10 locations downtown. (Provided by Joliet City Center Partnership)

Rodriguez said he would like to see more public art in Joliet, including murals.

The city has had a problem with past murals, especially those at the downtown railroad viaducts, chipping away with weather and rain.

The utility box art is protected from the weather with coverings provided by Distinct Visual Solutions, a downtown Joliet business.

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