Boise is a city filled with public art, thanks largely to the efforts of the Boise City Arts and History program. But it wasn’t always that way. The first piece of public art didn’t come along until 1915, when a statute of Abraham Lincoln went up at the Old Soldier’s Home. In 1927 a life-size statue of assassinated former governor Frank Steunenberg was installed across from the Capitol’s main entrance. That was the only public art in the city until Point of Origin, a modernistic series of metal frames, was installed in front of City Hall in 1978. The sculpture, which was meant to frame various city views for the appreciative art connoisseur, generated more controversy than admiration. It was eventually moved to the grounds of the Boise Art Museum (top picture), where it ruffles fewer feathers.
That less-than-lauded attempt to art up the city wasn’t a great start. In spite of it the city arts program has soared in recent years, with dozens of installations of major art pieces all over town, including more than 160 beloved art-wrapped traffic control boxes (bottom picture).
That less-than-lauded attempt to art up the city wasn’t a great start. In spite of it the city arts program has soared in recent years, with dozens of installations of major art pieces all over town, including more than 160 beloved art-wrapped traffic control boxes (bottom picture).
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