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From a press release about the dedication of Welcome to Deutschtown:
The mural is designed as a visually compelling artwork to serve as a celebratory gateway for the Historic Deutschtown neighborhood. This design honors the architecture and historic identity of the Northside community while paying tribute to the communities’ significant contributions to cultural life. As
Pittsburgh Celebrates Glass
in 2007 the mural fittingly exalts the artistry and craftsmanship of Pittsburgh’s architectural glassworks.
The immediate intent of the mural is to capture the public attention and hold it, first by the awe of an encounter with a brilliantly backlit stained glass window, then generating curiosity in the details of the design. Recalling the wonder of seeing a stained glass window in sunlight for the first time is key to the vicarious success of the project. To this end the viewer is engaged by a painting of a towering clerestory facade tempered by a calming and familiar church-like theme.
Nine crests featured within the windows are a proud reminder of the towns of origin for the early inhabitants of Historic Deutschtown. The mural memorializes cherished old world values such as hometown pride, orderliness, spirituality and attention to detail. The symmetry of the work respects the historic cultural affinity for managing complexity with coherence and order. A balance is then struck between the geometric order of the piece and it’s relevance to the past. A silhouette of a musician playing a piano by candlelight adds a whimsical touch and draws the viewer’s attention through the glass into the interior of the building itself. The piano playing maestro, dressed in period clothing, pays homage to the ongoing importance of music and entertainment in the cultural life of the neighborhood.
My public art projects grow from a responsibility to the audience. This is the public in the art.
D.L. Edwards
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