There are many art galleries and exhibits in St. Louis, but none combine the classic game of mini-golf with art like the Sheldon Art Galleries’ current exhibition, "Golf the Galleries: Artist-Designed Mini Golf."
“[Golf the Galleries] brings together design aspects and play – so art and fun,” Olivia Lahs-Gonzales, director of the Sheldon Art Galleries, told St. Louis on the Air producer Alex Heuer as they putted their way through the gallery on Friday’s program.
She talked about the interactive artist-designed, nine-hole mini-golf installation on display through Aug. 12. Made accessible and for all ages, the golf course aims to appeal to art lovers, as well as those who don’t visit museums that often.
Lahs-Gonzales said the concept of golf-halls is not a new one.
“It’s a concept that The Walker Arts Center in Minneapolis and Indianapolis Museum of Art, among others, have brought to their museums. We became aware of that and thought it would be great to do something similar here in St. Louis,” she added.
Visual artist, architects and designers worked on the course to provide a combination of art and golf with variety of themes.
Each course takes players through various hurdles and unique twists respective to their theme, such as chess pieces as obstacles, a Cheshire Cat lurking over each player’s move and optical illusions.
While the overall gallery is not geared towards St. Louis specifically, Lahs-Gonzales said players will still “be able to put your way through downtown St. Louis as a giant,” in Switch’s “The Gateway Green – A Hole-in-One for STL” installation.
There isn’t much concern about balls accidently causing damage, Lahs-Gonzales assured listeners.
St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh and producers Mary Edwards, Alex Heuer, Evie Hemphill, Lara Hamdan and Caitlin Lally give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.
