How could I have missed these voluntary works of public art placed anonymously along the River Walk, coincidentally close to the Southwest School of Art? But I did.
Because they are tiny, probably averaging six inches tall.
Stumbled across my oversight in a clip from a KLRN Arts show, a repeat of a broadcast originally airing this past February.
Of course, I went searching for them in the stretch between the North St. Mary’s and McCullough bridges. I know I missed some, but many already are barely shadows of their original selves. They are fading away.
Certainly, I feel guilty publicizing unauthorized art along the River Walk. But these are so small and give those spying them such pleasure.
Their whimsy would be lost if both magnified and multiplied. Containment is an issue. Graffiti-abatement is a constant battle, with inner-city graffiti more threatening than aesthetically appealing. Most of the walls under bridges are coated with graffiti-repellant paint.
But for me, these particular works resound as a call for a different form of public art. Maybe large-scale, expensive undertakings could be supplemented by extremely small installations in unexpected places. Artwork many might overlook, but so rewarding for those who encounter them.
Go on a hunt for these treasures before they completely disappear.
Postcards from Barton Springs 