Wednesday October 15, 2025
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
Citizens interested in adding their voice to the review of public art that could be interpreted to honor bigotry, discrimination, racism and/or slavery now have an online forum to share their thoughts.
People can visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/public-art/public-art-review and add their thoughts to the public conversation.
“Getting citizens input from all sides is important – we want to hear from a wide variety of people,” Mayor Greg Fischer said.
On Sunday, Fischer announced that he asked the Louisville Commission on Public Art to review its catalogue of art in the public right of way to develop a list of those tied to discrimination, racism and slavery, in preparation for a community conversation about their display.
The Mayor’s remarks come after a day of violence surrounding a white nationalists rally in Charlottesville, Va., that left three people dead and 35 injured. The review also came after a statue of Confederate officer John Breckinridge Castleman in the Cherokee Triangle neighborhood was vandalized.
“For many, the Castleman statue is a beloved neighborhood landmark, but for others, it’s a symbol of a painful, tragic and divisive time in our history — which gets at the complexity of this conversation,” the Mayor said.
Sarah Lindgren, the city’s public art administrator, said the Commission on Public Art will announce before the week’s end a series of public meetings to gather further input.
“This is an opportunity for citizens to both speak and listen,” Lindgren said.
Mayor Greg Fischer announced today that he’s directing the Louisville Commission on Public Art to review its catalogue of public art to develop a list of pieces that can be interpreted to be honoring bigotry, racism and/or slavery. This is in preparation for a community conversation about their display.
“I recognize that some people say all these monuments should be left alone, because they are part of our history,” Fischer said. “But we need to discuss and interpret our history from multiple perspectives and from different viewpoints. That’s why a community conversation is crucial.”
“Both our human values and the future of our city depend on our ability to directly address the challenges that stop each and every citizen from realizing their potential. We, as a compassionate community, must again come together and face up to the stain of slavery and racism, as we move toward a future that embraces diversity as a strength,” the Mayor said.
The Mayor’s remarks come one day after violence surrounding a white nationalists’ rally in Charlottesville, VA that left three people dead and 35 injured — and nearly a year after the city removed the Confederate Monument at the University of Louisville. The Virginia rally was convened by white nationalists who oppose a plan to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a city park.
Early this morning, a statue of Confederate officer and President of the Board of Park Commissioners John Breckinridge Castleman in the Cherokee Triangle neighborhood was vandalized with orange paint. The statue, constructed in 1913, has long been a neighborhood landmark honoring Castleman’s contributions to creating the neighborhood around it, and the Cherokee Neighborhood Association paid thousands to have it restored in 2013.
“For many, this statue is a beloved neighborhood landmark, but for others, it’s a symbol of a painful, tragic and divisive time in our history — which gets at the complexity of this conversation,” the Mayor said. “I believe this is community conversation worth having.”
An effort to remove the paint from the Castleman statue today was halted until the conservator who led its restoration in 2013 could be consulted. The city also is reaching out to the Kentucky Historical Society to discuss how to address vandalism to a nearby sign that the city maintains.
The Confederate Monument on U of L’s campus was moved last fall to become part of an historic Civil War site in neighboring Brandenburg, KY
Louisville Metro Public Art together with the Commission on Public Art has announced two new projects developed by Louisville artists. The public art projects are focused on pedestrian and cycling experiences in Louisville, and will invite community involvement and participation. Artists Lance Newman and Todd Smith were selected for their innovative approach to public art in the form of poetry and technology, and how we encounter art in our city sidewalks, streets, and bridges.
“Public art can take many forms. As our city grows and changes, so do the artists and their unique approach to contemporary topics,” Public Art Administrator Sarah Lindgren said. “We are thrilled to partner with Lance and Todd whose projects will captivate Louisvillians and visitors. These artworks will enhance our daily experience as we walk to work, catch the ZeroBus, go to a concert, or cross the Ohio River.”
Descriptions of both projects are below:
Love in the Street: This project supports Louisville’s growing poetry scene and enhances the pedestrian experience on 4th Street for tourists, employees, concertgoers and more. Louisville poet Lance G. Newman II is the artist and curator who conceived the project to invite place-based poems and stamp them into the 4th Street sidewalk between Broadway and Chestnut in conjunction with the forthcoming streetscape project in 2018. A call for poems will be announced this summer.
Bike Sense Louisville: This project connects cyclists, technology and sound to capture and reflect data in real-time. Artist Todd C. Smith will use sensor units attached to the handlebars of 100 volunteer cyclists to create a web-based data visualization and a sound composition that will be streamed online and on the speakers of the Big Four Bridge. The sound composition will be determined by the activity of the cyclists. Along with general location, the sensor units on the bikes of volunteer cyclists will also gather ambient temperature and carbon monoxide gas data. The project will take place over one year starting in summer 2017.
The citizen cyclists will represent a cross-section of bike users in Louisville, from hobbyists to regular commuters. To volunteer as a cyclist, please visit https://www.bikesense.net/
