Hamilton is leaning into its paper manufacturing history with a three-day public art festival titled Hamilton Unfolded. Immersive, paper-based art installations are spread along High and Main streets for the event running April 16-18.
"Everything is paper-based," explains Tyler McCleary, president of City of Sculpture, a public art nonprofit. "There's a lot of cardboard being used, which is pretty cool — a lot of people like the big sustainability statement there."
Artworks range from immersive — McCleary says one looks like a coloring book come to life — to the abstract. Some are indoors and some are outdoors, but he notes they're intended to stand up to the weather.
"It's April and it's Ohio, so it probably will will rain," he acknowledges. "Everything that is outside is designed with that in mind. There's some of the sculptures that [are] actually intended to evolve with the weather."
Some of the installations include giant paper flowers, paper lanterns, a giant paper garden with oversized butterflies, a woodland coloring book that will be illuminated at night, and secret pop-up gardens tucked into pocket parks, along with interactive storefront and business displays.
Artists tapped for the event range from local creators to artists from across the Midwest.
Why paper?
"Years and years ago, Hamilton was a paper capital of the world," McCleary points out. "We had Champion Paper and Beckett Paper, and it really was like the lifeblood of this town for for a long time. Just about everybody in town who has been here for a while, either they worked there or had a family member that worked there."
He notes the city has had its ups and downs, but has seen a resurgence lately with lots of public art and the Spooky Nook sports complex that took over the former Champion Paper Mill.
"This festival is something that brings the past and the future together, celebrating what got us here back in the day, and what's going on today, to kind of tie it all together."
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