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

Bucyrus Officials Flummoxed by Signs

In a small city like Bucyrus, many people know each other. There are few secrets.

But there is one subject that has become a growing mystery in the city. What are all those unusual orange and black cloth banners on poles?

"It looks like a rooster to me," said Tori Robinson, tattoo artist at Image in Ink. "It's not like a prison tattoo or gang symbol we know of. I think it's kids being stupid."

The orange banners have black drawings of arrows above an oddly shaped figure resembling some type of squid. The signs, on residential streets including Lucas, Oakwood, and Clark, may have gone up around Halloween.

Robinson and her co-workers have no idea who could have posted them. She thinks it could be a band using a unique kind of publicity. City officials are clueless as to what the signs mean or who they represent.

Bucyrus Police Chief Ken Teets said the department hasn't received anonymous letters or phone calls regarding the signs and what they could mean.

"They've been up for a number of weeks, and we're hoping it's a benign situation," Teets said. "We don't have the authority to take them down unless they have a threatening message. "We just left them up hoping the purpose might come to light."

Bucyrus Area Chamber of Commerce Director Deb pinion wonders if the signs are a game or a prank. She noticed a sign on Mary Street on Oct. 23 as she walked in the neighborhood with her grandson.

"Once I saw that one, I started noticing other ones," Pinion said. "They're just odd and kind of unnerving. It's not a comfortable thing."

American Electric Power

spokesperson Shelly Clark said no signs are allowed on utility poles and reported that no AEP employee in Bucyrus saw any signs on poles Thursday afternoon.

Chief Teets encourages people with information on the signs to call the police department at 419-562-1006.