The Underpass Gallery - A Charm Bracelet Project

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Underpass is the name of the art gallery on the west wall of the underpass beneath the Federal Street rail road bridge. This outdoor gallery is designed so that they can replace the art displayed there each year easily, and the structure of the wall can accomodate several artistic mediums. The Underpass is a part of the Charm Bracelet Project and according to their website, the idea is to celebrate the bridge, the concept of entry, the essence of the neighborhood – through art.

2015

There never was a 2014 or 2015 installment here. After the 2013 artwork was removed we found out that the railroad bridge was going to be replaced and the artwork would return after that was done. When we checked last, there was still construction going on. We're hopeful that this will change in 2016.

2014

2 May 2014: The 2013 mural has been removed and preparations are underway for this year’s installment. We will update this as soon as we see the 2014 mural in place.

2013

The installment for 2013 was = The Light at the End of the Tunnel by Casey Droege. This mural is a bit of a puzzle – both figuratively and literally. We are presented with what looks like part of an equation, but there is no equals sign. It’s full of symbols and we are left to decipher them on our own. Before we even have a chance to contact the artist and get the skinny on this piece, we suspect that he or she is not going to divulge much. From our previous research we’ve learned that some pieces are meant to make you think about them and figure out for yourself what it means to you. This looks like one of those.

Ah, but this is puzzling. This is definitely not the type of art that you can drive, walk, or ride your bike past and fully appreciate. We stood for quite a while trying to sort out the symbols and came up with our own thoughts on this. We won’t be posting them. We think it will be more fun for everyone else to post their own ideas about it.

Because of the supports on the underpass structure we can't offer you a clean shot of the entire mural, so here are some close ups starting on the left side:

The equation⁄puzzle has three bracketed segments. This is the left third.

The first set of parentheses in the first bracket.

Close up of the left two rows in the numerator.

Close up of rows 3 and 4 in the numerator.

Close up of the right two rows in the numerator.

Close up of the exponent.

The right half of the first bracket.

This is the transition between the left and center set of brackets.

This is the center bracket. The pillar is blocking the addition sign and the left parentheses by the roses.

Left portion of the center bracket.

Right portion of the center bracket

Closeup of above section.

Transition between the center and right brackets.

Right bracket.

Left side of the right bracket.

Right side of the right bracket.

The following description is included on the plaque beside this mural: In this mural, an equation is used to evaluate the desires, relationships and external forces of our everyday lives. Using the language of mathematics it seeks answers to the seemingly unquantifiable.

Update Oct 2013
We heard from the artist, Casey Droege, and she was kind enough to provide some more information on this mural:

"...the series started a few years ago as I began trying to quantify the unquantifiable- looking at important moments in my life and breaking them down by using objects from my archive and forcing them into this "math" language. I decided to use this format for the mural because it is a unique large scale piece that is really best seen by pedestrians. It gave me the room to play around with the experience of walking by. In one direction the equation equals something a little more positive "The light at the end of the tunnel" and in the other direction, it's a little more chaotic. If you notice when walking towards downtown, the equation tends to subtract the more positive things. Overall it's broken into three segments- the first (left) being everyday wants and needs, the second is interpersonal relationships, and the third is external forces/luck. Many of the symbols are pulled from my life (for instance the big blue note next to the dead flowers is something I've received). But some of the images were chosen to represent an idea or experience that could be interpreted more broadly, for instance the hole in the ground is meant to be loss of some sort. In the end, there's lots of room for interpretation of the images. A red door in Western cultures is seen as a sign of welcoming. A horse shoe can mean good luck or bad luck, but the direction differs depending on the country."

2012

Photo of installation by Jim Schafer

3Three∗∗∗ is the second piece of artwork to display in this unique art gallery. Dick Esterle used a dotted pattern of waves to create something that would look different as you passed through the area. Depending on where you would view this piece from, you definitely got a different feel for it. The time of day and lighting as well as how you transitioned the area (walking, biking, driving) also impacted your impression.

3Three∗∗∗ went on display in May 2012 and was replaced with new art in May of 2013.

2011

Photo of installation by Ed Massery

Blue Skies was the first installment at Underpass. We missed seeing this mural as it had already been replaced by the time we discovered the outdoor gallery. The folks from the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh were kind enough to send us the above photo. On thier website they describe Kim Beck's piece as art that lit up the underpass with a slice of a sunny day on the Northside. We're sorry we missed the opportunity to see it.