Victorian Village in Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Elijah Pierce
— Short North Arts District —
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 5, 2016
1. Elijah Pierce Information Kiosk
Click on image to zoom in to read the captions and examine the images of his works.
Elijah Pierce (1892-1984) moved to Columbus in 1924 and began preaching at regional fairs and other public gatherings surrounded by carved and painted wood panels he had made to illustrate the lessons, Bible stories, and parables that were the subjects of his sermons.
After opening his barbershop in 1951, the shop became a gathering place for the African American community as well as a gallery for Elijah’s woodcarvings. His bas relief and three dimensional wood sculptures captured his religious beliefs, puns, pop figures, current affairs, and snapshots of his world as well. The Long Street barber shop also housed a sizeable menagerie of carved and painted animals.
Pierce was fortunate among self-taught artists in that he did receive worldwide recognition during his lifetime, and is regarded as one of the most important American folk artists of the 20th century. In 1985, the Columbus Museum of Art acquired over one hundred Pierce carvings for its permanent collection.
Erected by Short North Special Improvement District.
Topics. This historical marker is listed
this page online
Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 39° 58.853′ N, 83° 0.265′ W. Marker was in Columbus, Ohio, in Franklin County. It was in Victorian Village. Marker was at the intersection of North High Street and East 1st Ave and Price Avenue, on the right when traveling south on North High Street. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 895 N High St, Columbus OH 43215, United States of America.
We have been informed that this sign or monument is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. The Fireproof Building (approx. 0.2 miles away); Father Rocco Petrarca (approx. 0.4 miles away); Reverend Father Alexander Cestelli / Chiesta Italiana di San Giovanni Battista (approx. 0.4 miles away); James S. Tyler / Tyler Family Legacy (approx. 0.4 miles away); Lincoln Goodale (approx. 0.4 miles away); Tod Barracks, 1863 (approx. half a mile away); Flytown
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 5, 2016
2. Elijah Pierce Information Kiosk
More about this marker. The reverse of these informational kiosks were all the same. They displayed the same map labeled “Short North Arts District Wayfinding Map” with a legend listing of commercial establishments, parking, and other nearby amenities keyed to the map.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Also see . . . Wikipedia entrhy for Elijah Pierce. Excerpt:
Elijah Pierce was honored to participate in exhibitions at galleries such as the Krannert Art Museum, the Phyllis Kind Gallery of New York, the National Museum of American Art, and the Renwick Gallery. His work is in the collection of the American Folk Art Museum, and in the permanent collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.(Submitted on September 4, 2022.)
In 1973, Pierce won first prize in the International Meeting of Naive Art in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. He was a recipient of a 1982 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. That year's fellowships were the first bestowed by the NEA.
Pierce is generally regarded and commemorated as one of the greatest and most influential woodcarvers from within the past few centuries.Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 5, 20163. Reverse of the Elijah Pierce Information KioskAll of these kiosks along High Street in the Short North sported the same map and list.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 4, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 132 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 4, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.
