In addition to historical events, Jansen also includes monuments to historically significant ideas. Of the Cunningham Park monuments, only The Miracle of the Human Spirit monument fits this category. Celebrating the determination, compassion, and strength of the Joplin citizens, this monument resembles the wristbands worn by citizens and volunteers during the first few months of recovery. City officials and locals repeatedly highlight the vital role these attitudes and values played in the city’s recovery. Designed by students at Drury University, built and installed by the Paul Mueller Company, and unveiled in October of 2011 on the final episode of Extreme Makeover Home Edition, the monument is part of a two monument tribute to the thousands
…show more content…
Prior to the tornado, the city of Joplin already established a public art and mural project to help represent their city’s history and contemporary identity. However, only a few were installed before the tornado and not all of them survived. After the tornado, a very different mural style emerged to express deep emotions that residents found difficult to verbalize. The first mural appeared shortly after the tornado. Unplanned and unsigned, the overnight artist inspired other projects of healing through art. Unfortunately, the Joplin Graffiti Mural did not survive the rebuilding project as the artist selected a damaged building that was torn down later. The inscription to the far left in the picture reads, “Dedicated to the Love and Spirit of …show more content…
Professional muralist, David Loewenstein, drew inspiration from the drawings of over 200 children for The Butterfly Effect: Dreams Take Flight and painted the mural at the intersection of 15th Street and Main Street in September of 2011 with the assistance of fifteen local artists and numerous volunteers. The upper right corner features a quote from Joplin-born writer Langston Hughes, “And trees put forth new leaves to sing in joy beneath the sun.” In the upper left corner, the inspirational words, “In time of silver rain the butterflies lift silken wings to catch a rainbow cry.” From left to right, the mural images show children drawing and fanciful scenes of playgrounds and giant ice cream cones, followed by darker images in the center. The center section shows dark clouds with lightning, an ambulance, several blue birds taking flight, a broken building marked with an X, ravaged trees and construction equipment. One of the construction vehicles is removing a damaged tree while another is installing a giant bandage. The next section shows children at play among flowers with a large rainbow overheard. Of note in this section, the tree featured in this part does not resemble typical, flourishing trees, but displays a tight group of leaves at the top of thick branches. This mirrors the damaged trees of Joplin that sprouted new leaves directly from their trucks and thick branches after losing all
Prior to the tornado, the city of Joplin already established a public art and mural project to help represent their city’s history and contemporary identity. However, only a few were installed before the tornado and not all of them survived. After the tornado, a very different mural style emerged to express deep emotions that residents found difficult to verbalize. The first mural appeared shortly after the tornado. Unplanned and unsigned, the overnight artist inspired other projects of healing through art. Unfortunately, the Joplin Graffiti Mural did not survive the rebuilding project as the artist selected a damaged building that was torn down later. The inscription to the far left in the picture reads, “Dedicated to the Love and Spirit of …show more content…
Professional muralist, David Loewenstein, drew inspiration from the drawings of over 200 children for The Butterfly Effect: Dreams Take Flight and painted the mural at the intersection of 15th Street and Main Street in September of 2011 with the assistance of fifteen local artists and numerous volunteers. The upper right corner features a quote from Joplin-born writer Langston Hughes, “And trees put forth new leaves to sing in joy beneath the sun.” In the upper left corner, the inspirational words, “In time of silver rain the butterflies lift silken wings to catch a rainbow cry.” From left to right, the mural images show children drawing and fanciful scenes of playgrounds and giant ice cream cones, followed by darker images in the center. The center section shows dark clouds with lightning, an ambulance, several blue birds taking flight, a broken building marked with an X, ravaged trees and construction equipment. One of the construction vehicles is removing a damaged tree while another is installing a giant bandage. The next section shows children at play among flowers with a large rainbow overheard. Of note in this section, the tree featured in this part does not resemble typical, flourishing trees, but displays a tight group of leaves at the top of thick branches. This mirrors the damaged trees of Joplin that sprouted new leaves directly from their trucks and thick branches after losing all