Kalamazoo County Commissioners Approve Local Artist for $50,000 Public Art Project
*Patrick Hershberger*, a Kalamazoo native and former street artist, has been selected to design a massive mural project that will cover most of the new downtown parking structure Kalamazoo County is building.
The mural will wrap around three sides of the parking garage at 440 N. Church St. and primarily serve county employees at the nearby administration building and Judge Charles A. Pratt Justice Center. While it will also be open to the public, the structure is not being built to support the downtown events center.
Selection Process
Kalamazoo County received 29 proposals from artists, which were screened by the Arts Council and the Public Arts Commission and reduced to five finalists. An ad hoc committee made up of local residents, members of local arts organizations, and county board members were tasked with picking the final design.
County board chair Jen Strebs said they had three good finalists. County commissioners will vote on the recommendation at their next meeting in April, and then the contract will be signed.
The goal was to select the proposal that most reflected community history, identity pride and would enhance the public space. Picking a local artist was also a priority.
The project is expected to cost about $50,000, most of which will go toward printing fabric panels based on the artist's designs. The project is expected to be underway this month if county administrators hope to have the huge panels ready in time, according to County Administrator Kevin Catlin.
Artist Background
Hershberger, whose artist name is Go Bonus Saves, is a Kalamazoo native who last year participated in the city's Brush the Block festival. His entry for the county's parking garage mural featured depictions of notable Kalamazoo residents mixed with images of native flora and fauna.
The panels will depict sketches of several local leaders, local flora and fauna and other local scenes. Hershberger says he will be painting a couple of the panels, but mostly he will be designing what 31 of the larger ones will look like.
Even though they have not broken ground yet on the project, county officials have advised that they need to get the art project underway this month if they hope to have the huge panels ready in time for the building's completion.
Community Impact
The mural design proposal was recommended for the parking garage downtown. After reviewing the top five artists to submit applications, a Kalamazoo County committee has decided to recommend Hershberger to design the murals that will adorn Kalamazoo's newest parking garage.
The project represents a significant investment in public art for downtown Kalamazoo and showcases local talent. The selected design will enhance the visual identity of the new county facility and provide a unique artistic destination in the city's growing downtown area.