SouthSide Bus Shelter Also a 9/11 Memorial

Somewhat lost in the road construction that now dominates W. Third Street in South Bethlehem is a decorated bus shelter and 9/11 memorial that many would view as a priceless piece of “outsider art.” A team led by world-renowned artist Gregory Warmack, better known to his fans and followers as Mr. Imagination, put the concrete, painted, sculpted and bejeweled structure together where it sits in front of the Banana Factory’s parking lot. The interior of the shelter depicts the Twin Towers, surrounded by angels. Under the towers is an American flag and the words, “God Bless America.” Mr. I, as he is often known, has become well-respected and loved for his works of “outsider art,” the name given to art produced by people who have never been formally trained in the fine arts. His work is characterized by the use of bottle caps, paintbrushes, ping-pong paddles and other discarded items. Mr. Imagination lived in Bethlehem for most of the last decade, but he has since moved to Atlanta. A fire in January 2008 destroyed his row home, which also served as a studio and a museum of outsider art artifacts.