Art Moves REO!

The “Art Movement Project REO Town” was launched early this summer with a call to artists to submit a digital image of new or previously created artwork to be installed on the substation for the duration of six months at which time a new call will be made. This iteration of the original project adds a licensing component; it provides artists with a $1,000 stipend for the work, which artists keep the rights to, and BWL pays the costs to print and install the art. “We were pleased to continue working with REO Town on public art installations at the Central Substation,” said BWL General Manager Dick Peffley. “This expanded direction allows us to keep our commitment to the community while featuring more local artists,” Peffley said.

The first BWL Central Substation art project launched when the substation was first built. In an effort to support the arts in Greater Lansing, and to make the building visually interesting, BWL made a commitment to invest $20,000 every three years to enliven the substation with temporary, rotating public art. BWL partnered with the Arts Council of Greater Lansing to put out its first call to artists in 2018, and artists Dane Vermuelen and Caitlin Gwinn’s colorful lighted design, “City Rhythm,” was installed in 2019.

Rosado’s BWL work titled, “Tres Cuervos,” which means “three crows” in Spanish, was inspired by the hundreds of crows that flock to the sycamore trees in Washington Park. “Being a part of the ‘REO Town BWL mural project gives our Indigenous and Latinx community a window to educate the community about the traditions and the unique meaning behind our art,” said Rosado. “The crow plays an important role in guiding the spirits between the two worlds.In this painting, the Washington Park crows gently guide the spirits of our departed loved ones home to us in time to celebrate their memories.” “Tres Cuervos” was recently installed at the BWL structure and can be enjoyed by anyone heading south on Washington Ave. in REO Town.

Theresa Rosado

The new work by Dunn keeps the REO Town area vibrant and alive as an arts hub in the region. “I was excited for my work to be chosen for the BWL and REO Town project because I’m committed to depicting positive representations of women and especially Black and Brown women, immigrants and people with complex cultural backgrounds. As a Mexican American woman myself, this issue is close to my heart,” said artist, Teresa Dunn. The mural is a recreation of a painting called “A Long Line of Women,” and is currently on display at the MSU Broad through July. It celebrates women’s connections to each other through family, friendship or mentorship. “It is important for girls and women of all ages and backgrounds to be represented in various cultural expressions,” said Dunn. “I am proud to have had this piece selected for this public-facing opportunity.”

Teresa Dunn

“This piece aims to capture the personality of REO Town- the vibrant colors celebrating our diverse energy, the hexagonal pattern a nod to the gear, and the line quality honoring our scrappy nature. The subject draws inspiration from two murals on the River Trail, “One Wish,” by Marissa Tawney Thaler and “Sunshine,” by Jamari Taylor, connecting our corner of the City to the rest of Lansing.”

Marissa Thaler

As public art interest continues to grow throughout the Greater Lansing Region, projects like these open up more doors for artists and create new ways of looking at public art as something that doesn’t have to be static, it can constantly be changing to reflect more perspectives and represent the diverse voices of our Greater Lansing community.

To learn more about the “Art Movement Project REO Town” (#ArtMovesREO) and other creative placemaking and public art opportunities, contact the Arts Council’s executive director, Meghan Martin, at meghan@lansingarts.org.