Lexington, Ky. - Art intended for the Opening Ceremonies of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games has found a new, highly visible home in downtown Lexington.
Colorful 40' X 8' Art of Horses in Plan banners, commissioned and designed to flank the main stage at the Operning Ceremonies of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, were replaced only days before the Saturday evening event by banners bearing the logo of name sponsor Alltech.
Although Alltech officials have expressed interest in finding an alternative way to display them, the immediate future of the original banners, designed by Opening Ceremonies art director Melody Farris Jackson, had been uncertain - until Lexington developer Dudley Webb learned of their fate early last Friday morning.
Less than a week later, Jackson's unique depiction of the fluidity of equine movement now graces a prominent downtown location. Webb arranged for Integrated Sign Co. to suspend the twin banners on the Main Street and Vine Street sides of the parking garage adjacent to the Financial Center, known locally as "the big blue building."
One banner was in place on the Main Street side and Webb said the second banner is scheduled to appear on the Vine Street side on Friday.
"Picture each end of the Financial Center of FifthThird parking garage. There is a large panel between the open spaces on each end of the garage that will constitute the frame for the art pieces," he explained.
Jackson, owner and president of the Winchester art and design firm Architecural Ink, has served on the faculties of the University of Kentucky College of Design as well as Eastern Kentucky University's Art & Design Department. Her work has included creative concepts for Nike, Siemens, Toyota and NASA.
Jackson paints and draws "in plan" - the architect's perspective, viewing the subject matter from above as if looking at the floor plan of a house.
"I had this crazy idea that I would try to draw a horse from a plan view. As an architect, we draw lots of things in plan. We draw buildings in plan, we draw cities in plan, but I had never thought about drawing an animal in plan. I started investigating and doing some sketches and it was amazing to me. I fell in love with the form because it was very fluid, graceful, elegant form. And when I began to apply some movement to this, in the form of dressage moves and some of the gaited moves I was surprised that it became a new way of looking at the horse."
Webb said once he learned more about Jackson, he decided to act. "To find that we have an internationally acclaimed artist, right next door in Winchester was impressive enough," said Webb. "And then, when I found out that she was the art director for the Games and had done contract work for Nike, Toyota and Nasa, and that these were available to bring downtown, I just thought it was a great opportunity and we decided to go ahead and get it done."
Jackson said she hoped the display would encourage the appearance of more banners in Lexington's central business district and perhaps encourage the city to hold an annual banner art competition as one way to make good on talk of creating a "vibrant" downtown.