It’s not unusual for us to hear first-time visitors of Cleveland walking through Downtown, stopping dead in their tracks and saying, “Oh cool! What is that?!”
That, my friend, is public art. And Cleveland’s got more of it than you can imagine. Here are some of our fave installations:
Guardians of Transportation
Make your way to the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge to see one of the most iconic pieces of public art in Cleveland — eight 43-foot-tall “Guardians of Transportation.” These Art Deco stone sculptures towering above the bridge since 1932 depict the “spirit of progress in transportation” through the different modes of transport each holds in their hands. A long-beloved symbol of our city and its history, the Guardians' likeness and namesake was chosen to represent Cleveland in a new and exciting way: as the new nickname of Progressive Field's finest that play just east of the bridge itself.
Probably the most famous of public art installations in Cleveland, the “Free Stamp” consistently draws groups of visitors and clusters of bridal parties seeking quintessential Cleveland pictures. Located at the corner of Lakeside Ave. and East 9th Street near the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the iconic piece is a 50-foot-tall, 75,000-pound replica of a giant rubber stamp with the word “FREE” written backwards.
In 1982, artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen were commissioned by Standard Oil Company of Ohio to create a piece of outdoor art to enhance its company’s headquarters at 200 Public Square.
The artists chose the word “FREE” in an effort to create a contemporary take on the concept of liberty, which was juxtaposed with a more traditional take on that same ideal at the nearby Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Monument (dedicated to the veterans of the Civil War). However, the word “FREE” was to be placed upside down — in an attempt, perhaps, to make a statement to the oil-company bigwigs looking down from their skyscraper offices.
Shortly thereafter, Standard Oil of Ohio was acquired by BP America and, as it turned out, BP America didn’t care much for it and opted not to display the huge stamp. (Many believe the company thought the word “FREE” seen upside down was insulting to a large corporation.) A bit of a local controversy ensued while the piece sat in storage, so BP America gifted “Free Stamp” to the City of Cleveland.
As a result, “Free Stamp” now sits in Willard Park next to Cleveland City Hall. The stamp now rests on its side, creating the metaphor that the sculpture had been haphazardly flung across the city.
Fountain of Eternal Life
There are many Instagram-worthy scenes in The Land, but the Fountain of Eternal Life takes the cake. Located adjacent to the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland and Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Center, the fountain features a 35-foot-tall bronze statue depicting a man reaching to the sky from a fury of flames.
Put on display in 1964, the monument was created by Cleveland Institute of Art grad Marshall Fredericks to honor local veterans of the Korean War and World War II.
Like many pieces of Cleveland public art, the Fountain of Eternal Life saw its share of controversy. Many people at the time opposed the idea of the statue being nude. That said, Fredericks ensured that the flame elements surrounding the statue were strategically placed around the figure’s body.
The Thinker
The Cleveland Museum of Art, which offers free admission to its permanent collection, should be on every CLE visitor’s itinerary. Head to the 1916 building of the museum (the white marble entrance toward the back steps) to get your picture next to a Rodin-supervised cast of “The Thinker.” Just down the steps sits Chester Beach’s beautiful “Fountain of the Waters” in Wade Oval.
Keeping Art Alive in CLE
The City of Cleveland is deeply committed to the creation of public art. In 2004, the city enacted legislation requiring that capital improvement projects within city limits with budgets over $350,000 must designate at least 1.5% of the total budget toward the creation of new public art.
Cleveland is also home to ICA Art Conservation, which provides art conservation services to worldwide clients. They know the public art scene because they’ve helped to maintain hundreds of pieces to their original beauty and, as a result, keeping them in existence.
Graffiti HeArt Gallery is a local nonprofit organization that supports talented graffiti and street artists by matching them with local donors in the community looking to commission a work of art for canvases throughout the community. Not only do these projects help up-and-coming artists make a living, but proceeds also go to fund art scholarships and other educational opportunities for underserved youth as well as urban development projects.
We’re taking the Cleveland brand into the city’s neighborhoods. We’ve created the “Murals Across the City” program to add to our neighborhoods’ places of interest and encourage visitation. Our goal is to create photo-ready, branded murals that celebrate local artists. It also gives residents and visitors another way to share their love of The Land.
But Wait, There’s More
Here are some other pieces of public art we think you ought to check out: