Public art can be found on the sides of buildings and in smaller crevices throughout Downtown Binghamton, and the city’s public art scene is constantly seeing new additions, from local artists and nationally renowned figures. Walks Downtown might lose their appeal as the weather gets colder, but if you’re looking for a break from the bleak architecture of campus, check out our map of Binghamton’s public art:
Boscov’s parking ramp
Binghamton is often hailed as the birthplace of virtual reality, a theme that is reflected in art pieces scattered throughout the levels of the parking ramp on Water Street. One piece retells the story of how Edwin Link created the first flight simulator in the 1920s to teach pilots how to fly. Other works depict different advances in technology, such as trains and other innovative devices.
Lost Dog Cafe
On the side of the Lost Dog Cafe’s building facing Garage Taco Bar, there’s an elegant floral mural done by national artist Beau Stanton. Featuring a diverse palette of hues and colors, the mural features a woman in a dress with flowers in replacement of her head. She’s surrounded by vibrant butterflies, and the brick color of the building contributes to the work’s aesthetic.
Exchange Street
Starting at 28 Exchange St. is a series of murals progressing east down the street; the works vary from an ominous woman painted on the side of a house to a portrait of a man named Jules who is a friend of the artist, Damien Mitchell. Further down the block, a superhero akin to Superman is found with a graffiti can in hand and messages of peace and love painted onto the work. Just to the left sits an urban art piece of a man with a purple-dyed afro, accompanied by a painted eagle next to the Greek symbols for the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity.
225 State St.
One of the few abstract works that can be found in Downtown Binghamton, a colorfully abstract work of mountains is located on Artists’ Row across the street from the Old Barn Market & Gluten Free Bakery. Angular and featuring dozens of different colors, the mountain scape is hard to notice from up close, but immediately clear from the opposite side of the street.
Peterson’s Tavern
On the side of Peterson’s Tavern is an art piece commemorating Muhammad Ali with his famed quote, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” The work is largely blue, with yellow on the right and a yellow casting light on his face, while the left is covered in shadows.
Jarvis Street
Right before the underpass on Jarvis Street, a mural known as “Cat Fishing” by Susan Champeny encircles a house on three sides. The work shows a cat dipping its claw into water, trying to snag a fish for its meal. The work has a unique art style, with a cartoonish look to the cat and the colorful fish.