Downtown Bend’s popular ‘Art’ on bench will be back soon after repairs
(Update: More details on repairs underway, should be back in a month)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The iconic "Art" sculpture of a man on a bench in downtown Bend has gone missing -- but don't fear his demise, as he will return before too long.
The statue, which includes a bench near the corner of Wall Street and Franklin Avenue, has been temporarily removed by the city for repairs.
A sign posted at the site from the city and Art in Public Places said the sculpture will be reinstalled "in a few weeks."
Marcelene Trujillo, project coordinator with Art in Public Places, said two areas had failing welds after all those years, on the back of the bench and where bolted to the sidewalk.
"We didn't want it to get worse," she said. "We wanted to do it (the removal) on a quiet, winter morning. It had been in the plans for a while."
Trujillo said an object conservator has been working on cleaning or repairs if needed on the many public sculptures around town.
She said "Art" and his bench should be back in place in about a month, ready for anyone stopping by to take a seat and snap a pic.
The statue has been a very popular photo-taking spot downtown, for nearly 40 years -- long before social media -- and visitors who sat by Art also often have placed clothes and other accessories on it while posing for photos.
Created by artist Richard S. Beyer, the seven-foot cast aluminum sculpture was named The Traveler when it was installed in 1982.
The sculpture was commissioned by Art in Public Places as part of an effort to rejuvenate Bend’s downtown area following a long recession. It was designed to capture Bend’s historic ambience, with the bench serving as a friendly gathering place for downtown visitors.
The artist modeled the sculpture who became known as "Art" after a homeless acquaintance he’d met while working on a similar project in Seattle. He added a few ducks from nearby Mirror Pond to keep Art company, and depicted Art staring into his empty wallet.
The wallet seldom stays empty.
"Bend visitors and residents are fond of filling it with all manner of treasures, ranging from coins to flowers to popcorn," the Visit Bend description states.
