Face to Face

2014 450 sq. ft.

Site: Intersection of Glass St. & Dodson Ave. (Formerly Delaney Park)

Artists: Approximately 45 youth from Girls Inc. of Chattanooga and Hope for the Inner City with lead artists Frances McDonald, John McLeod, and Judy Mogul

Partners: Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, Girls Inc. of Chattanooga, Glass House Collective, Hope for the Inner City

Description: Inspired by the work of acclaimed painter Jean-Michel Basquiat, forty-five East Chattanooga youth from Hope for the Inner City and Girls Inc. of Chattanooga painted abstract self-portraits and wrote about issues in their neighborhood and ways where they could personally help impact solutions. The archway, once the entrance to Delanie Park and later Highway 58 Drive-In Theater, served as the framework for the installation of their portraits and words. Face to Face captures the life and conscience of East Chattanooga youth, bringing viewers Face to Face with the youths’ portraits and their bold declarations of their commitments to neighborhood transformation.

Face to Face was funded in part by Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga.