In this episode of Stories, Secrets and Sagas, we share two stories, both about artwork that has to be seen to be believed! Let’s take a drive to Columbia, South Carolina.
Sometimes art impersonates life. A beautiful tunnel; a short drive to the other side where a different world awaits. But, is this real or is it just art?
Created in 1975 by South Carolina artist Blue Sky, this painting in Columbia surely catches the eye. It is large, 50x75 feet large! And resides on the side of the AgFirst Farm Credit Bank. According to an interview on the Columbia, South Carolina website, Blue Sky listened to music as he painted this massive work. In particular, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, mainly because of all the challenges that Beethoven had with deafness and composition - to Blue Sky, painting something of this magnitude required similar challenges. We’re told that it is illuminated by night and fortunately, as of yet, no one has driven into the piece, which truly gives the illusion of a tunnel and depth.
Just a few blocks away from Tunnel Vision is another unusual piece of art.
The sculpture, known as Neverbust, created by the same artist, Blue Sky, is four feet high and twenty-five feet long.
When people love each other, we usually share rings. When two buildings want to be together, well, it is a little more dramatic.
The sculpture, known as Neverbust, created by the artist Blue Sky, is 4 feet wide by 25 feet long and literally seems to be holding two historic buildings together; the Kress Building and the Sylvan Building. And as the artist states on his website: “One building looked like it was leaning a little bit.”
Hence a chain to connect them.
The work was somewhat rebellious when it was installed at 3am in the middle of the night in 2000. And city officials weren’t too happy either. But, they eventually approved of the work based on the value of another piece from an acclaimed local artist.
Just another Stories, Secrets and Sagas Episode!
