The Original Pan Statue
In the early 1970s, Louisville, Kentucky built the now-famous urban style park called Belvedere down by the city’s waterfront.
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Over the course of several decades, the Louisville Commission of Public Art has focused its energy on adding beautiful murals and statues by local artists to Belvedere. In the early 1990s, they added a statue known simply as “Pan.”
Who Is Pan?
When most people think of Pan, they envision the beloved fairytale character, Peter Pan, the boy who never wanted to grow up. But James Matthew Barrie, the original author of the Disney classic, actually named his Pan after a lesser known Greek deity.
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In ancient Greek mythology, Pan was part man, part goat, and he watched over shepherds and their flocks. He loved music and had an untamed wildness, almost like a young boy.
The Artist’s Depiction of the Greek Deity
Charlotte “Toddy” Price was a prominent local artist in Louisville in the later half of the 20th century. Within her vast collection of work, she had created a small bronze statue, representative of the Greek god as a young boy.
Source: Legacy.com
In the early 1990s, the Younger Women’s Club of Louisville decided to purchase the statue of Pan and donate it to the Riverfront Commission to be added to the beautiful Belvedere park. However, less than a year later, the statue was gone.
The Twice-Missing Statue
What’s especially interesting about the Pan statue from Kentucky is that it went missing not once, but twice. The first time, they believed someone stole it, though they had no idea who, and it was never seen again.
Source: Ashlie Stevens/LMP.org
Luckily, another artist was able to recast her work and replace it in the park. However, only a few years later, the statue of Pan was missing once again.
Lost During Renovations
This time, they didn’t necessarily assume it had been stolen, as it went missing during renovations of the large park. Nonetheless, they couldn’t find it anywhere and it was considered gone for good.
Source: @WLKY News Louisville/YouTube
After a few years, the small statue of Pan playing the flute was all but forgotten. Then, in 2018, on a podcast entitled “Curious Louisville,” a listener called in and mentioned the “curiously” missing statue.
It Was Another Five Years Before Anyone Mentioned It Again
However, it took another five years, until 2023, for David Greer, a local Louisville resident, to hear the podcast episode in which the statue was mentioned.
Source: @WLKY News Louisville/YouTube
When he did, he immediately contacted the Louisville Public Media and told them that he thought he might have one of the two pans sitting on his front porch.
The Louisville Commission of Public Art Headed Right Over
Of course, the Louisville Commission of Public Art had been looking for this statue for almost 30 years, so they quickly went to see if Mr. Greer had it, and if so, how he came to find it.
Source: LousivilleKY.org
They quickly realized it was undoubtedly the missing Pan statue, completed by Charlotte “Toddy” Price. And while it showed several decades of weathering, it was otherwise in great shape.
How Did David Greer Get the Pan Statue?
David then explained that the statue had been sitting on his front porch since 1996. His father was a construction worker on the Belvedere park renovations those many years ago, and brought it home after a day’s work.
Source: Freepik
Greer explained, “It was supposedly being tossed away at that time. They said they could have it, and he took it home, and it sat on the front porch.”
David Greer Was Happy to Return It to Its Rightful Home in the Park
After realizing the three-decade long search that had gone on for this little statue, David Greer said he was happy to return it to the Louisville Commission so that it could return to its original home in the park.
Source: @loumetropublicart/Instagram
But before it could be reinstalled in the park, it first needed to be tended to and refurbished by a professional.
Pan Is Almost Ready to Return to the Park
Several talented artists are working diligently to ensure that Pan is returned to his former glory and will be able to live a long life in the park, bringing joy to all who see him.
Source: LPM.org
Once he is reinstalled, Pan will sit next to a plaque that explains his wild adventure away from the park for nearly 30 years.
Public Art Needs to Be Cared For
While this story certainly has a happy ending, it’s an important lesson for artists and art curators all around the world who want to ensure art remains available to the public.
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Public art is a wonderful addition to any space where all residents and visitors can enjoy pieces that would otherwise be in a museum or gallery. However, if they want to continue, it’s crucial to make sure all pieces are secured in place and consistently looked after by local authorities.