|
Artist: Sheila Levrant de Bretteville
Date: 1994
Material: Granite cast stone
Location: Ninth Square - Crown Street sidewalk
Artist Sheila Levrant de Bretteville designed Path of Stars to illuminate a section of New Haven that had been neglected for more than two decades. The Ninth Square, one of the original areas of the Colonial settlers' 1638 plan, is in the midst of rejuvenation, with many new restaurants, businesses and luxury apartments. Abandoned and decrepit historic buildings have been restored into working, living and social spaces, filled with the kind of cultural life for which New Haven is so well-known.
The recent development fulfills de Bretteville's intent to pay "homage to the working people of the area" by referencing people who worked or resided in this historic area once known for its successful factories, businesses and movie theaters. Clearly a response to Hollywood's Walk of Fame (the artist had just moved to New Haven after 20-years in Los Angeles), de Bretteville integrated local themes into the design by using colors reflective of the surrounding buildings and highlighting the lives of ordinary workers, such as Joseph McAlpine, a janitor who worked for the New Haven Gas Company,
Path of Stars runs along a north/south axis on Orange and Crown Streets and are set at fifteen foot intervals. Symbolically and literally, the artist wanted to "put people back into the neighborhood." Yale's first tenured female art professor, de Bretteville hoped that with new growth in the Ninth Square, the project would continue and more stars added.
Group A/Crown Street East contains stars dedicated to: George Lamberton, Ezekiel T. Scott, Jennie Missaro and Carl Reichbart. Group B/Crown Street West contains stars dedicated to: John Brockett, August L. Troup, Lee Chong, Ed Lawlor and Elnora Bess. Group C/Orange Street South contains stars dedicated to: Dinah Chidsey, Adolphus G. Snell, Emmaline Jones, Frederick D. Grave, James S. Johnson, Sr. and William & Jack Horowitz. Group D/Orange Street contains stars dedicated to: Titus Street, Abel C. Chamberlain, Sylvester Z. Poli, Helen Perez Hallock, Joseph A. McAlpine and Julia di Lullo. |
|
additional views
 
Map of Location | Get Directions
|
