For more information contact: Email:

Mark Nixon : 517-702-6735 MDN@LBWL.COM

 

Public will see Depression-era murals for first time since terrorist attacks

Off-limits since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the famed murals adorning the lobby of the BWL’s Dye Water Conditioning Plant will again be open for public viewing.

The Lansing Board of Water & Light has chosen the annual Be A Tourist In Your Own Town Day, May 31, to reopen the lobby to the public.

“These murals are considered treasures by scholars who have studied the array of artworks created during the Great Depression,” said BWL General Manager J. Peter Lark. “We are pleased to once again allow the public to view and appreciate these outstanding works of art.”

The Depression-era murals were painted by artists Frank Cassara and Charles Pollock. Pollock was the brother of renowned artist Jackson Pollock.

The murals were painted in the late 1930s and early 1940s as part of a federally funded work program. They depict both the productive and destructive powers of water.

When terrorists struck the United States in 2001, municipal water facilities were considered potential targets for other terrorist attacks. At the urging of Michigan’s governor, the BWL decided to close the entire water conditioning plant to the public. Prior to that, the Dye building’s lobby was periodically opened for public tours.

At 11 a.m. Tuesday May 27, the media are invited to join Mr. Lark for a preview of the Dye lobby and its murals.

Details:

• Dye Water Conditioning Plant is located on South Cedar Street, approximately one block south of the Cedar Street/Michigan Avenue intersection (between Michigan Avenue and Kalamazoo Street).
• Parking: There is a turnout directly in front of the Dye building entrance. It will accommodate about 4 cars. Also, directly north and adjacent to the building is a gated entrance (off Cedar Street). Visitors can park in front of the gate or on an open grassy area in front of the building.
• Michigan State University Professor Joseph Kuszai, an expert in Depression-era artwork, has been invited to attend the media preview.

The Michigan State University Museum currently has a special exhibit on the federally supported artworks of the Great Depression, now through August 24, 2008.

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