Vulcans on Parade

Vulcans on Parade is an art installation consisting of 20 individually painted fiberglass replicas of Birmingham's Vulcan statue. The project, which debuted in August 2015, was designed to highlight the area's visitor attractions.

It was conceived by the 2015 class of Project Corporate Leadership and executed in partnership with the Vulcan Park & Museum, the BJCC, the Birmingham Museum of Art, Railroad Park, the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, corporate sponsors, and invited artists.

The planning team included Chris Cooper, Wade Cox, Leslie Dobbs, Ashley Stuckey and Justin Drummond. They contracted Nebraska-based fabricator Icon Poly to produce the 100-pound, 8-foot tall blank statues which were then delivered to the individual artists to be decorated. After painting and sealing, the works were installed at various sites around the city.

The first two statues, installed in 2015, constituted the first phase of the project. The cost for the first phase, including $9,000 for producing the mold and furnishing the first two castings, was underwritten by sponsors including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Brasfield & Gorrie, Vulcan Materials and Protective Life.

The two phase one statues are intended to remain on permanent display. A second phase with as many as 18 additional statues is planned, depending on support from sponsors.

Statues

• "Magic City Lights", painted by Carrie McGrann, installed at Railroad Park on August 26, 2015; damaged on December 31, 2020
• "Forging Ahead", painted by Paul Cordes Wilm, installed at the BJCC
• "Rising Phoenix", painted by Myrna Gates, installed at Kinetic Communications on Morris Avenue in November 2016
• "Love is Groovy", painted by Crystal Conner, sent to Liverpool, England in recognition of Birmingham's sister city relationship.
• "Alba Vulcanis", painted by Melissa Shultz-Jones, installed at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in November 2016
• "Indigenous Vulcan", covered in mosaic tiles by Rhandie Weaver, installed at the Junior League of Birmingham-Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo at the Birmingham Zoo on August 31, 2017
• "The Vulcan Statue", purchased by PropHouse Event Rentals and offered for events with 10% of proceeds returned to the Vulcan Park Foundation
• "Forward Ever!", painted by the Birmingham-Southern College Art Students League and displayed at the entrance to campus. After the school closed in 2024 the sculpture was put up for auction.
• "Your Friendly Neighborhood Vulcan", painted by Brandon Watkins of Yellowhammer Creative, installed at the Pizitz Food Hall courtyard on November 9, 2017
• "Eyes Over Birmingham", painted by Ahmad Austin for the Eyesight Foundation of Alabama incorporating features to help people with low vision or blindness experience the artwork and also alluding to Yaacov Agam's "Complex Vision" on the facade of the UAB Callahan Eye Hospital. It was installed at Vulcan Park in 2021.
• "Patriot Pride", painted by Shawn Fitzwater, installed at Homewood Patriot Park on July 23, 2022
• "Beloved Birmingham", painted by Melissa Shultz-Jones in honor of Darlene Negrotto, installed at City Walk on August 30, 2023
• "With You", painted by Ashley Culwell in honor of the Birmingham Rugby Club Foundation, installed at 4625 Valleydale Road in October 2024

See also

• "Heads Up Alabama", a similar project in 2010 to promote mental health education.

References

• "'Vulcans on Parade' to Celebrate Birmingham's History and Cultural Institutions". (n. d.) Project Corporate Leadership
• Whitley, Carla Jean (August 26, 2015) "Casting vision: Vulcans on Parade to draw attention to city attractions." The Birmingham News
• Songer, Joe (November 9, 2016) "Three new miniature "Vulcans on Parade" statues unveiled today at Vulcan Park." The Birmingham News
• "Birmingham's Vulcan" (Winter/Spring 2018) Nuts & Bolts. Vulcan Park and Museum annual report.
• Healan, Jack (January 1, 2021) "Vulcan statue destroyed in Railroad Park." ABC3340.com
• Byington, Pat (October 20, 2024) "New Vulcan statue celebrates rugby in Birmingham." Bham Now

External links

• Vulcans on Parade at visitvulcan.com