DECATUR-- Two pieces of art were found on the walkway leading to the boat dock at Crystal Lake. Captain America and Howard the Duck, two Marvel comic book characters, made their appearance there some time around Sept. 19.
The artist is not known and therefore joined the ranks referred to as "anonymous."
A simple piece of white chalk, when held between the thumb and index finger, invokes memories of drawing hopscotch courts on the playground or writing "I will be good" a hundred times on a blackboard. However, this simple piece of calcium carbonate was once the medium of choice for a certain sect of artists for more than 500 years.
While such famous painters as Michelangelo, da Vinci, Raphael, and Dürer were creating their masterpieces on canvas and in stone, unknown artists were using city streets, sidewalks and open areas to create their own works of art.
Sidewalk/street art began in Italy sometime in the 16th century. These artist were know as Madonnari. Their subject matter was confined to the Madonna or the Virgin Mary. It is a style that is still practiced today.
In the 19th century, sidewalk artists began to spread their creations to other countries throughout Europe. In old England, sidewalk artists were known as screevers; and in Germany they were known as Strassenmalers.
Unlike the Madonnari, the screevers and Strassenmalers did not confine their subject matter to just one topic. Theirs were more open to everyday subjects such as characters, events and political satire. These artists were considered one of the forerunners of the modern newspaper.
Even in the 21st century, street and sidewalk artists continue to practice the art form much as it was 500 years ago.
One artist, however, added a different aspect to sidewalk art, transforming it from mere one dimensional into a very unique plane of view.
In 1982 a young American artist named Kurt Wenner went to Italy to study the Madonnari style. While there he began to combine the traditional street painting and classical styles with his understanding of illusion to form anamorphic illusionistic art, or 3D street art.
In 3D sidewalk/street art, the subject is drawn in such a way that, in order to get the full three-dimensional effect, the viewer has to stand in an exact spot in front of the piece. From that precise position, some of the most elaborate and breathtaking works emerge. Scenes of underground worlds combine with the street level to form stunning images of waterfalls, caves and underworld civilizations. Wenner continues to dazzle viewers with this art form yet today.
The down side to sidewalk/street art is, unless the work is intended to permanently occupy that space, a sudden rain storm or street sweeper will wash it away forever. But with the invention of the camera, many of these masterpieces can be preserved.
As for the two Crystal Lake Park sidewalk art pieces, they will suffer the same fate as so many paintings have over the past 500 years. They will simply wash away. But until then, Captain America and Howard the Duck are on display at Crystal Lake. And perhaps these works of art will be preserved and seen far beyond Decatur through photographs, the newspaper and web-based media.
General News on 10/01/2014