By Samantha Russell

WESTPORT — “It’s time we got the art out of hiding,” Jilda Manikas, a member of the Westport Public Arts Collections Committee, said about the group’s project to create a photo display of the 15 sculptures in the collection already displayed throughout town.

The framed photographs, taken by Mary Ellen Hendricks, will be hung in several spots in the community, including in Westport schools, on a rotating basis.

“I’m trying to open people’s eyes,” Manikas said.

Many pieces of artwork from the town’s collection are already displayed in the schools, giving students an opportunity to gain an early appreciation for art, said Ive Covaci, WestPAC chair. 

But with new security regulations that prevent  outsiders from visiting schools during class hours, the public is now rarely able to see these pieces,  she said. The photographs will be another way to increase knowledge and appreciation for the town-owned artwork, she said.

WestPAC encompasses more than 2,000 pieces of art, with some displayed in Town Hall, Westport Center for Senior Activities and the Westport Library, in addition to the schools, according to Manikas. Many people drive by these sculptures each day without giving them the recognition they deserve, she said.

She recalled a time when she showed a picture of a sculpture from the library to a group attending a meeting. Not one person, she said, knew where that sculpture was located. Now, with the “stunning photos” of the town-owned sculptures taken by Hendricks on display, more people can enjoy them, she said.

She’s been pleased with the support the project has gotten from WestPAC and from local organizations where the photographs will be hung.

“The minute I came up with the idea, it was full force, ‘Let’s go with it,’ ” she said. “This is a really arts-oriented town.”

Manikas also plans to create a map of the sculpture locations enabling people to take self-tours. She may also give  tours of the sculptures to members of Westport organizations and others.

The Minute Man statue on Compo Road South is one sculpture that Manikas is confident many Westport residents recognize and appreciate, but there are others in town that few residents know about.

Covaci agrees. “People are not aware that these sculptures exist,” she said.

The photos of the 15 sculptures are on display at the senior center, and in about six weeks, will be moved to the Town Hall lobby and then on to other locations in town.

Samantha Russell is a Westport Journal intern.