Present Pastimes

        
Concept design by Olalekan Jeyifous

Location

624 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22203

Maps Directions Transit Parking

Artwork Details

Artist: Olalekan Jeyifous
Materials: Sublimated graphic on aluminum, fritted glass
Expected: fall 2023

Combining references to vintage commercial signage and mid-century architecture that used to be found in the Ballston area, this diptych window installation presents a colorful and playful reimagining of a miniature golf course. The Ballston Putt-Putt operated for more than fifty years on Wilson Boulevard before the area’s high-rise development. Here, Jeyifous, a Nigerian-American artist whose work examines the relationships between architecture, community, and the environment has reimagined a cherished venue that alludes to leisure in a pre-digital, bygone era.

An assortment of figures enjoys mini-golf and engage in other everyday activities, surrounded by period vehicles and local flora, filling the scene with a sense of playful nostalgia against a colorfully-rendered modernist backdrop. The vivid colors update the buildings’ mid-century architectural style with a contemporary look while invoking scenes from the urban/suburban past. The result is an installation that acknowledges both the everyday and iconic historical architectural landscape while celebrating the ongoing evolution and transformation of this thriving community.

Learn more about Olalekan Jeyifous.
Learn more about the 600 N. Glebe Road development project.

Funded by Southeastern Development Associates and Harris Teeter