Squids a Work of Art

The mystery surrounding the orange and black squid banners on utility poles around the city has been solved.

The banners got people talking and even following the arrows to see where they might lead -- and eventually the secret was out. After a story about the mysterious cephalopod signs ran Friday on BucyrusTelegraphForum.com, an online reader posted a link to a photo album on a MySpace profile entitled "Pole Project."

The MySpace page owner, John "GypsyLuc" Hargis, contacted the T-F and explained his project, adding that he also kept a blog on the subject.

"I was hoping for people's curiosity to be piqued, but I'm quite surprised that the idea actually took root as well as it did," Hargis said in an e-mail. "Too bad the mystery couldn't have lasted a little longer."

In the blog, Hargis said his first idea was to wrap poles from downtown leading to the Crawford County Fairgrounds, to signify the Bratwurst Festival's move

"There was a lot of negative chatter around town about the move and I wanted to make that physical connection between the two places -- show that even with a change of scenery and a different feel to it, it was still the Bratwurst Festival," he said.

Instead, Hargis gathered some bright orange fabric and several masked and hooded friends from the YelloWall Collective to decorate the community. The signs, placed along residential streets including Lucas, Oakwood and Clark, went up before Halloween.

The 34-year-old North Carolina native said he chose tentacled sea life to adorn his banners for a reason.

"I chose creatures with the capacity to grab, to hold, to manipulate, to work with their 'hands,' " he said. "We can dream and hope, but we must also put our hands to work to make things happen."

The sideways cephalopod arrows were meant to be fun -- to give the project a participatory feel.

"One could follow the arrows and see where they led," he explained. "There was no intentional rhyme or reason in the placement, so the randomness would take a follower wherever the arrows happened to direct."

Hargis, who moved to Bucyrus a year ago, thought the city could use a creative new art installation. He said the project wasn't meant to be malicious and there were "no aliens, occult members, a specific band, heroin users, al Qaida, gang ruffians or stupid kids involved in the process. It was simply an art project intended to pique curiosity, cause people to pause and take note and, hopefully, regain a sense of youthful wonder for a moment in time."

Bucyrus police Chief Ken Teets is relieved the mystery is solved.

"I'm glad it's benign, maybe a bit on the mischievous end," he said. "He got publicity and brought attention to his talents. Kudos to him."

Hargis wants to do more public art projects, including performances, an event with the Bratwurst Festival and a permanent installation -- and involve local schools and businesses along the way.

"We're living in tough times and things are changing all around us," he said. "I say let's embrace where we are and move forward from here. What good is a life if you're not living?"

Terricha Bradley • Telegraph-Forum