New tool helps Alexandrians find off the beaten path public art

 

Just off Eisenhower Avenue is a marble set of statues called Angels of the Americas.

The statues are tucked off to the side of the road in front of an office block and even lifelong Alexandrians may have driven past it for years and never known they were there.

Alexandria has a fairly rich array of public art throughout the city, and a new tool called the Public Art Archive helps locals find it. Across the city are dozens of examples of public art, and while some are fairly prominent, others are a little off the beaten path.

“The Office of the Arts is proud to announce the launch of its new online Public Art Map tool, which allows residents and visitors to explore public art throughout the city in a more user-friendly and accessible way,” the city said in a release. “The Public Art Map, located on the international Public Art Archive, is a comprehensive online resource that showcases the city’s vast array of public art installations, including sculptures, murals, and other forms of public art.”

The tool also includes information about the artwork, the artists, and multimedia like videos or audio about the artwork. The Angels of the Americas description, for example, notes that the way the statues are aligned are intended to give each two sets of faces.

“We are excited to bring public art within the city to the Public Art Archive,” said Meika Daus, Alexandria’s public art senior manager, in the release “There are so many incredible projects in the city, and the online collection with the public art map tool creates an opportunity to highlight those projects within our community and to the greater region.”