The St. Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce (Arts Chamber), in partnership with more than 10 partner organizations, will install custom-made masks on over 35 statues and sculptures throughout St. Louis City and County. In order to encourage mask wearing as a way to help combat the coronavirus pandemic, many of the very visible and visited pieces of public art around our region will don a St. Louis themed mask this fall.
“We are very excited to help facilitate this public awareness campaign to encourage everyone throughout greater St. Louis to wear masks and help mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” said Sandy Brooks, executive director of the Arts Chamber. “We hope these sculptures that residents and visitors of the region routinely visit or pass by in their daily commutes will serve as an example and reminder that we all need to work together to help combat the coronavirus by doing simple things – like wearing a mask!”
Local artists and volunteers will be fabricating custom masks that are individually designed to fit each statue and sculpture approved for this project. The Arts Chamber has been working with local suppliers to help obtain low-cost supplies for making the masks, and has applied for grant funding in the hopes of being able to compensate participating artists for their time and talent. Masks will be installed in late August and remain on display through Halloween.
As of the time of this release, the participating locations and partners include: Citygarden and other city-wide public art pieces maintained by the Gateway Foundation; Carl Milles’s “Meeting of the Waters” and Henry Kiener’s “Olympic Runner” through the City of St. Louis; sculptures throughout the campus of Washington University and St. Louis Children’s Hospital, facilitated by the faculty and students of the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts; the Stan Musial statue and other figures throughout Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village; the “Jelly Baby” display at St. Louis Public Library Central; and pieces installed throughout the Delmar Loop. As additional partners are confirmed, the full list of locations can be found on the Arts Chamber website at www.stlouisartschamberofcommerce.org/maskupstl.
Businesses, organizations and municipalities with public art pieces that are willing to participate are encouraged to contact the Arts Chamber by Aug. 15. Artists and individuals interested in volunteering with this project are also welcomed! Please email MaskUpSTL@stlouisartschamberofcommerce.org.