Fort Worth, Re-Zipped
by Steve-O
Mi amiga Jennifer Conn at Fort Worth Public Art told me the other day that the restoration of the Zipper Mural is finally under way. A prominent landmark facing Lancaster, the mural is painted on the south façade of the recently refurbished city-owned building commonly referred to as the Zipper Building. The restoration is the second mural restoration by Fort Worth Public Art and is expected to be completed by Friday.
Artist Suzanne Gentling has designed a new image for the opening in the landmark Zipper Mural. Part tribute and part reference, the design pays homage to her brother, Stuart, the mural’s original artist who died suddenly last year during design contract negotiations. A single, standing white feather in a skyscape will replace the cloud scene which has become badly worn and damaged after thirty-five years of environmental effects and a previous renovation. The new design refers to Stuart’s love of nature, birds in particular, and his accomplished realistic painting style.
The Zipper Mural was originally designed by Stuart in 1975 as part of Painted Spaces Inc., a non-profit organization composed of Fort Worth citizens that organized collaborations between the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Worth Art Museum, local artists, architects and businessmen, to bring revitalization to downtown Fort Worth.
The south wall of the Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company was painted a khaki color with the addition of the zipper partially unzipped to reveal a blue skyscape. The theme referred to the type of clothing produced by the Company; the mural included the company’s logo on the zipper pull. The last remaining mural of the Painted Spaces program, the Zipper Mural has become something of a landmark in downtown Fort Worth.
The new design has been endorsed by the Fort Worth Art Commission and approved by the Downtown Design Review Board and the Lancaster Task Force.
I didn’t know about Fort Worth Public Art before, but it sounds pretty cool. This program maintains and conserves artwork owned by the City of Fort Worth through the Public Art Conservation Fund. Conservation is an essential tool in protecting the value, integrity and authenticity of each work in the collection and is the single best investment to ensure the quality of an artwork.
I also haven’t had a chance to drop by and check it out or get pictures. PeteG? Can you help a brother out?
Tags: zipper mural
4 Comments, Comments or Pings
Kevin
Interestingly, the Zipper Building has always had something painted there, just not always a zipper. Check out this photo from the past:
http://fortworthology.com/blogpics/zipper.jpg
Myself, I almost prefer the 7up ad. Then, I’m a big fan of old ads painted on buildings.
Dec 19th, 2007
Bernie
I was hoping for a floating Lassie, like the one on Jennings Ave. on Fort Worth’s beautiful Near South side. I guess a feather is pretty good, though.
Dec 19th, 2007
jenny
thanks for a cool for public dialogue!
When the FW Art Commission first began discussions of what to do with/about the mural it was clear that painting over a city “landmark” would create unwanted controversy.
The eventual decision to “clean” it up to match the spiffy updates that run the length of Lancaster downtown - including new pubilc art commissions - was met with some indifference from Stuart, but only in the beginning. If you knew Stuart, you were prepared for the dance. Our ritual Monday morning phone calls to “discuss” the possibilities are now a happy memory for me; it was a new way for a simple friendship to redevelop on a new level. Stuart was a call-screener and only answered if the messages were amusing. Sometimes I was lucky enough to actually be amusing and our ensuing conversations ran the gamut from art to history to life. Persistent wooing eventually won him over and I believe that he was excited with the prospect of recreating an entire new image.
When he died suddenly, we were deeply saddend and stunned. The family rallied and came up with a plan to see the restoration realized. Suzanne’s tribute to Stuart is meaningful in multiple visual and intellectual layers. Her participation in the project fulfills our effort to maintain the integrity and value of artworks owned by the city.
Keep an eye open for more exciting commissions and conservation projects happening in all districts!
Dec 20th, 2007
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