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Getting batty: Arts council commissions Kelsey Montague to create public mural to mark Carlsbad Caverns National Park's 100th anniversary
In 1898, Jim White witnessed the evening flight of Brazilian free-tailed bats exiting the large cave entrance at what is now Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
White decided that he had to investigate the cave, because he thought a cave that could hold so many bats must be really large.
Within that week, he fashioned a ladder, entered the cave and made incredible discoveries. The Big Room in the cave would change not only his life, but impact millions of people from around the globe.
White tirelessly promoted the cave and finally wrangled attention in Washington, D.C., which led to the cave becoming a national monument in 1923, a national park in 1930 and a World Heritage Site in 1995.
In celebration of Carlsbad Caverns’ 100 years, the Carlsbad New Mexico Arts Council commissioned muralist Kelsey Montague to create one of her signature wing murals for the City of Carlsbad.
What she came up with is “Carlsbad’s Bat Wings,’ which becomes her first mural in New Mexico and the latest in her “What Lifts You” mural trail. Carlsbad joins locations around the world that include New Zealand; Australia; New York City; Nashville, Tennessee; Los Angeles; Seattle; Denver and more.
Montague is interested in exploring how public art, interactive art and social media intersect.
“My murals specifically invite people into a piece and then invite people to share their experience online,” Montague said. “I believe that art should not be separated from the human experience. Instead, the human experience should have a hand in creating the art itself.”
Each year about 400,000 visitors get to Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
When Dianne Joop, president of the local Arts Council, approached energy giant Chevron Corp. with the idea of commemorating the park’s centennial with a large-scale mural that would bring a positive awareness of the importance of bats, the company was incredibly supportive of the idea of creating a set of interactive bat wings.
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Bats are important to the ecosystem, as they are pollinators and help control insect populations. Yet these small creatures are misunderstood and feared by many. So with a generous donation by Chevron, Joop approached Roland Marshall, owner of the building selected as a great site for the mural, who gladly approved the use of an exterior wall for the project, located at 220 South Canal St. in Carlsbad.
Montague worked with the Arts Council to develop a beautiful, whimsical set of wings that sparks the imagination and entices people to interact with bats in a unique way.
“We are so excited for this artwork. It is a celebration of the cavern, bats and our city,” Joop said. “We hope this mural will ignite a spark of creativity and promote more art development in the POP (Pearl of Pecos) district.”
The City of Carlsbad officially unveils the wings and opens the site soon, and Carlsbadians and tourists alike can #ExploreCarlsbadNM, find Carlsbad’s Bat Wings, and be “lifted” with joy and fond memories of the town.
Kat Davis, Carlsbad MainStreet and the POP District executive director, said MainStreet and the Pearl of the Pecos Arts and Cultural District were thrilled to be a part of this art project.
“Through all of our organization’s projects and events, we aim to beautify our district, and this one of a kind art piece will further support that mission,” Davis said. “We see this piece serving as a great draw to the POP district, as art trails have caused a major growth in the tourism industry in recent years.”
Carlsbad Caverns
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Check out Montague's journey in Carlsbad:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cys_rZduODW/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
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