Potholes are a nuisance that connects nearly every St. Louisan. The tire-wrecking street menaces cause motorists and cyclists thousands of dollars in damages and are a regular topic of conversation and social media content.
Artist Lu Ray Waldemer has firsthand experience dealing with and witnessing blown tires due to St. Louis’ raggedy streets. Waldemer complained to friends and family until, eventually, she decided to do something about it by starting the Mosaic Pothole Project.
“I like to think of myself as an artist who solves problems with art,” Waldemer told St. Louis on the Air. “Art has always been like a form of therapy and a way for me to process and express myself.”
An avid biker, Waldemer grew tired of avoiding potholes during her daily commutes. During a ride to a friend’s house, she found her first practice holes.
“There was this back alley that was the most perfect hill to ride my bike down,” she said. “There was a lot of trial and error. Do we use concrete or cement or mortar? I had to really do a lot of research on materials because there's a lot more that goes into it than just dumping some material in a hole.”
Waldemer drew inspiration from several sources, including Chicago artist Jim Bachor, her former art students during her time teaching in University City’s school district and watching her father create art from cement. She also credits the philosophy of wabi sabi.
“[Wabi sabi is] this Japanese philosophy of imperfections are what makes something beautiful. And that's how I kind of live my life,” Waldemer said. “I don't need anyone to show up perfectly. Just as you are. We'll make it work, or let's identify what's not working and change it with kind of a lighthearted spirit.”
Waldemer’s desire to work with others and make art is reflected by the mosaic pothole project, which has picked up support from the Luminary’s Futures Fund and the Regional Arts Commission. For each pothole she fills, Waldemer wants community members to have a say in what art will take the place of the pothole. She said research includes,“...talking to people who live there. And just getting some context for a design that might be fun and that would actually be relevant.”
Waldemer admits that filling potholes puts her and her art collaborators at risk of run-ins with law enforcement, even though there seems to be no law against citizens filling potholes on their own.
She’s not worried about trouble with the law. Waldemer said she hopes “that police officers would understand I'm trying to be helpful.”
For more on Lu Ray Waldemer’s mosaic pothole project, the pothole she filled in front of St. Louis Public Radio and her plans to meet St. Louisans across the city, listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcast, Spotify or Google Podcast by clicking the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Ulaa Kuziez is our production intern. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr. Send questions and comments about this story to talk@stlpr.org.
