Uncle Sam, before the makeover

blank uncle sam statues Troy BID

"Sir, you're looking rather pale." "As are you. And you. And you..."

This caught our eye on Monday: the "blank" Uncle Sam statues that the Downtown Troy BID will be placing around the city in the spring. The BID's exec director Elizabeth Young tells us the the photo is from the factory in Maine where the statues are being made. (The company -- Fiberglass Farm -- touts itself as "Your #1 source for street art festival planning.")

Twenty-five artists have been selected to decorate the Sams, much like the horses around downtown Saratoga Springs. The downtown exhibit will officially open at the April Troy Night Out (April 26). It's sponsored by the Louis and Hortense Rubin Community Fellows Program.

Earlier on AOA:
+ Sculpture in the Streets 2012
+ So, how do you create a giant clog sculpture?
+ Horse vandals get treatment they deserve

photo courtesy of the Downtown Troy Business Improvement District

Comments

Oh there's a great investment!

Glens Falls does a similar event, using Adirondack chairs painted and decorated by local artists. And Bennington does one with moose.

Maybe Schenectady could do one with giant light bulbs.

Can't wait to see these painted! Is there a list of the artists that were picked?

These things are usually really fun, and do bring people downtown to businesses. I can't wait to see these in Troy!

@King Supreme Love-- it is sponsored by http://www.sage.edu/sgs/research/rubin/ and the statues will be auctioned off at some point.

so what is the "issue"?

The Fiberglass Farm need a new website.

Albany also has the Dutch Clogs around the downtown area.

And Cohoes could do mastodons for its sidewalk sculptures. Well, maybe baby mastodons.

I'm totally 100% with you King -- I support Troy, I support local art, I do not support this project.
Disclaimer: Sorry to all friends involved, I still love you, but I find the amount of money spent on such a trivial project a complete waste of creative energy (even if money was provided by grant)

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