Double take: Public Art Bridgeville places sculptures around the borough
Brad Hundt/Observer-Reporter
“Best Seller” by Seward Johnson is on display in Bridgeville’s Triangle Park.
“Follow the Swallow,” created by Pittsburgh artist Jan Loney, is in Bridgeville’s Triangle Park.
“Remembering Youth,” by Pittsburgh artist Dan Droz, can be seen by drivers traveling on Washington Avenue in Bridgeville.
“Inner World, Outer World,” by the late artist Seward Johnson, has caught the eye of passersby in Bridgeville since it was installed in the spring.
“Bedtime Stories, Volume II,” by Pittsburgh’s Sarah Simmons, is outside Bridgeville Public Library.
BRIDGEVILLE – As spring has turned to summer and summer has turned to fall, the man in the orange checked shirt, beige pants and sun hat has been sitting reading about Bridgeville on a park bench on Washington Pike.
He’s been there no matter the time of day and no matter the weather. For drivers who first pass him by, he just seems like another person waiting for a bus. But when you drive by multiple times and see he’s still there, you realize that he’s not just another fella waiting for a lift.
He is, in fact, a sculpture. Called “Inner World, Outer World,” he was created by the late artist Seward Johnson, who died in 2020 and was known for his life-size cast bronze figures. It’s part of an outdoor exhibit put together by the group Public Art Bridgeville.
“People stop and do a double take or a triple take,” said Elizabeth “Bitsy” Bellaver, who spearheaded Public Art Bridgeville with her husband, Guy Bellaver, who is a sculptor. She said there is a “three times rule” when it comes to the sculpture – people usually need to see it three times before they realize it’s art and not a flesh-and-blood human being.
“Inner World, Outer World” is the most visible and, arguably, the most eye-catching work in an exhibit of outdoor sculpture that arrived on Bridgeville’s streets in May and will be there until next March. The exhibit consists of eight works arrayed at various points in Bridgeville – you can find them in front of an apartment building or adjacent to Bridgeville’s library. It has two Johnson works, the other being “Best Seller,” depicting a man napping in a chair with a book on his lap in Triangle Park, located at the intersection of Station and Railroad streets.
How did the idea for Public Art Bridgeville come about? Bellaver and her husband had been involved in a public arts group when they lived in suburban Chicago, and they thought it would be a good idea to start a similar organization when they relocated to Bridgeville.
“We had such incredibly interesting experiences with public art,” she explained. “We felt like there should be more of it.”
When asked about the borough’s involvement with the public art, Joe Kauer, the borough’s manager, cited an article written for the borough’s newsletter that states, “Public art instills meaning, a greater sense of identity and understanding of where we live, work and live, creating memorable experiences for all.”
The outdoor sculpture exhibit is Public Art Bridgeville’s inaugural event. In October, it collaborated with the Pittsburgh Society of Sculptors for an exhibit of the work of 14 different artists at the borough’s library. More Public Art Bridgeville events are likely after the outdoor sculpture exhibit ends.
“The great thing about public art is the stories that it tells,” Bellaver said. “It makes the work so much more meaningful, so much more engaging and fun.”