The Forest Park Southeast neighborhood (Groth Guide) continues its significant transformation. Single family home prices have eclipsed $200,000, renovation of homes and businesses continue, crime is down and several large projects remain just on the horizon. But the most visible transformation is the investment in public art. Led by the WU Medical Center Redevelopment Corporation (WUMCRC), art can be found just about everywhere you look, from fire hydrants to entry signs to murals and even overhead.
A similar initiative can be found in the Columbus, Ohio's Short North district. There, the art is art, the Mona Lisa, American Gothic, Cafe Terrace at Night, etc. adorn buildings along the strip of art galleries and restaurants (photos below). The Grove murals and installations cover the commercial (Premium Lounge, Atomic Cowboy), self-reverential (Groovin' in the Grove, Tour de Grove) or irreverent (Mayan mural, Peat Wollaeger). There's even a "The Grove" mural that features murals in The Grove. On balance, I may prefer the art as art of Columbus, but the investment in The Grove is important and valuable. Now the WUMCRC has produced a guide to the public art of Forest Park Southeast. Check it out below and print a copy for your next visit to the neighborhood.
FPSE Public Art
Murals of the Short North in Columbus, OH:
