One Damn Thing

The Two Andys

The Two Andys has to be my favorite downtown mural. It always makes me smile and then treat myself to a manicure. It is by artist Tom Mosser, and since he was a Penn State grad, I’ll forgive him for painting a giant mural in the Prudential Center where the NJ Devils play. All kidding aside, it is amazing to watch Mosser work on such a grand scale — quick and precise, much in the same manor of Michelangelo’s fresco painting.

Yesterday's Tomorrow

I didn’t know this mural on the corner of Smithfield and Liberty was called Yesterday’s Tomorrow until I googled “Pittsburgh Murals” and found this fantastic blog which includes a map of the public murals painted in Pittsburgh between 2003 and 2006. The artist is Brian Holderman.

Liberty Avenue Musicians

The Liberty Avenue Musicians is by artist James Simon, who also hosts the Gist Street Reading Series. Simon also created the fantastic tile mosaic “Welcome to Historic Braddock” sign I became very familiar with this summer while trying to avoid the Parkway East closure.

Magnolias for Pittsburgh

These are not real magnolia trees. They are Magnolias for Pittsburgh, a public art installation by Chicago-based artist Tony Tasset. Both my mom and I were completely fooled by these trees when we walked past them on our way to the O’Reilly last month. You would think that we would remember that 1) the corner of Seventh and Penn always exhibits conceptual art and 2) magnolia trees do not bloom in Pittsburgh in November. For some odder Tasset pieces, see the catalog for his Laumeier Sculpture Park exhibit, All Things Must Pass. I’d really like to listen to this interview on Bad At Sports, but the file is erroring out on me. Let me know if you have any better luck.

All of these pictures were taken with my iPhone on a rainy day while I was running around on my lunch break in heels, so they really don’t do the pieces any justice. Go see them for yourself, preferably when the sun is out and you’re sporting your kicks.