Jim Cogswell: Art in the Sky

Motorists on Highway 23 have been noticing an unusual billboard amid the advertisements for fast food and jewelry that dot the sky. The billboard, now located on 23 South near Milan, depicts a detail from A&D professor Jim Cogswell’s piece Silence, a mixed media painting owned by the Ross School of Business. The original, approximately 8’ x 18’ piece is made from hand cut adhesive shelf paper, rubber stamps, ink, and paint on paper. It is hung overlooking the large central atrium space of their new building. The program ​“Art in the Sky” was initiated by Adams Outdoor Advertising to place works of art from local artists on billboards around Washtenaw County and surrounding areas. Jim’s work was selected through an open selection process and has been up since June, first on 23 North and since September on 23 South. The 14 x 48 foot image was printed on vinyl, making it possible to reinstall at multiple locations. It gets thousands of views a day from passing cars. Jim says, ​“I am thrilled at how the scale and location of the billboard enhance my original intentions. The image is about the studying the heavens, and the project title ​“art in the sky“ seems invented just for my piece.”