A new light display can be seen on the Legends Center on Soutel Drive. | Cultural Council of Greater Jax
Published on November 8, 2024 at 3:51 pm
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Two new public art installations have added light, color and history to a section of Northwest Jacksonville’s Soutel Drive.
The upper brickwork of the city’s Legends Center is lit up with historical vignettes of community leaders and their impact, which current community scenes brighten up several Jacksonville Transportation Authority bus stops.
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The JTA unveiled the art installations Friday at seven bus shelters: three at the Soutel Hub, and four at other stops along the Northwest Corridor. The works were chosen from submissions by local artists as part of JTA’s MobilityWorks 2.0 program.
The aim of the works is to “enhance the transit user experience for underserved communities in Northwest Jacksonville,” the JTA says. The project includes improving amenities at 111 bus stops, including enhanced lighting, ADA upgrades and real-time digital information on bus schedules.
Other new works include Bus Stop by Keith Doles at the bus shelter at 5260 Soutel Drive and Untitled (Green Glasses) by Christopher Clark at Soutel Drive at Leander Shaw Jr. Drive.
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“We are thrilled to introduce community residents to these inspiring works created by local artists and chosen with the help of the people who will enjoy it every day,” JTA CEO Nathaniel Ford said in a news release. “These works of art reflect the unique identity of this community and will be an enduring part of its cultural landscape for years to come.”
See all the newly installed works.
‘Legends’ projected on the Legends Center
And just blocks from some of the JTA’s art installations, the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville and city this week also dedicated a new public art piece at the Legends Center at 5130 Soutel Drive. Titled Legends, the temporary digital projection piece celebrates African American trailblazers and their impact on the community.
“Through the fusion of cutting-edge technology and digital artistry, we pay homage to the profound legacy of African American pioneers,” Cultural Council Executive Director Diana Donovan said in a news release. “… We believe in the power of art to amplify voices, honoring our past through their stories and images, stories that are woven into the very fabric of our community. ”
Projected above the Legends Center’s main entrance, the piece was created by the Castano Group. The animations include six historical vignettes, which will be projected from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. each night for the next three years.
“It is exciting to bring this nightly historical digital exhibition to Northwest Jacksonville at the Legends Center, to a community of rich culture, and heritage,” said City Council member Ju’Coby Pittman, who attended the Thursday night unveiling. “This exhibition not only honors the featured African Americans selected by the input from local residents, but ensures the history and contributions of our legends are remembered, celebrated, and not forgotten.”
This project was installed in collaboration between the city’s Kings-Soutel Crossing Community Redevelopment Area Advisory Committee, the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, the Cultural Council’s Art in Public Places Committee.
