A big surprise on this KC corner adds beauty to an urban neighborhood | Williams
One of the things I have always loved about Kansas City is that pleasantly unexpected beauty can always be right around the next corner, no matter which neighborhood you are traveling in.
And sometimes, when we are lucky, the beauty is infectious.
That’s what happened to me on Monday morning on my way to the office. I took a different route getting to the Crown Center area from Independence and got a bit turned around in the Santa Fe neighborhood, a historic Black area in Kansas City’s urban core. And I’m glad I did.
I ended up stumbling onto a lovely outdoor community art exhibit that I had no idea was there. In an open area along tree-lined Benton Boulevard — where block after block are big, beautiful stone houses — is a row of mural-type pieces of art depicting life in Kansas City and more at the intersection of 28th Street. It caught my eye.
The paintings on boards, each about 4 by 5 feet, stand in a row on posts and are quite visible to passing motorists. I couldn’t help pulling my car over to take a closer look.
One painting in the mix is a striking portrait of a young Black man, done in grays and greens. The message, “REACH — It’s more than basketball” is painted across the top. I think that was my favorite. They are all special. Paintings appear on both sides of each of the nine boards, 18 pieces of art in all.
It turns out the art, known as the Outside Art Gallery by Santa Fe, has been standing in that location nearly three years, “But it is always new to somebody,” said Terance L. Williams, the local musician and poet who helped pull the outdoor installation together. Yes, the beauty is there, and sometimes, all you have to do is turn the corner.”
Before Santa Fe neighbors decided that something needed to be done on that corner, the space used to be just another ugly, empty lot in the urban core. The Santa Fe neighborhood owned the property, and residents had talked about a beautification project, said Marquita Taylor, president of the Santa Fe Area Council.
Williams, who has lived in the neighborhood for seven years, attended a neighborhood council meeting where residents discussed solutions.
He suggested filling the space with art.
Williams is used to doing pop-up art exhibits in Kansas City. Because he has close ties to the city’s art scene, finding artists to participate was right in his bailiwick. Urban Rangers — a nonprofit corps of young men who do outdoor community service work — helped him clean up the lot and plant greenery. I love it, community helping community.
Artists created their works right outside on empty white boards The neighborhood has held a celebration of artists with music and food trucks every summer since the installation. In all this time, Taylor said, no one has ever vandalized the art or harmed it in any way.
But as beautiful as I thought it was, Williams says the art has become a bit weather-worn over the years. On Aug. 29, he said, new paintings will go up during an annual community celebration. Artists can contact the Santa Fe Area Council about claiming a board.
And even before the painting starts this summer, neighbors are engaging in a little friendly competition to see who can plant the prettiest flowers in their front yards. Last year, eight residents participated in the beautification project. This year, 20 neighbors have signed up so far.
The best part of what’s happening in Santa Fe, as I said earlier, is that it’s infectious. The idea of turning vacant lots, in the right location, into outdoor art galleries has caught on. Williams and his friends have already started a new gallery in the Manheim Neighborhood at 45th Street and The Paseo. So far, three paintings are up there, but there’s room for plenty more.
Williams said he would love to see an outdoor gallery in every urban neighborhood in Kansas City. So would I. So, let’s shoot for that. Why not? Because, what a thrill never to know when you are going to turn a corner and encounter beauty you didn’t know was there.
Your voice matters to us. What local issues do you want to hear discussed in On The Vine? Let me, Mará Rose Williams, The Star’s senior opinion columnist, know directly at mdwilliams@kcstar.com. And subscribe to the free On The Vine newsletter for more columns like this and exclusive looks at top stories and events in KC. Thank you for reading.
Support our local journalists with a subscription.
