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Board
of Water and Light Dye Conditioning Plant
The Dye Conditioning Plant at 148 South Cedar Street was designed
by Lansing architects Lee and Kenneth Black and constructed in
1938-39 by the WPA in a severe, geometric style. It is decorated
by WPA/FAP
artworks in various media. Appropriate to the building's function,
the theme of all of these works is water. This is the best local
ensemble of government-sponsored art planned as a unity of architecture,
sculpture and painting.

*Please note: The Board of Water and Light Dye Conditioning Plant's
interior murals and sculptures are currently not open to the public.
Aquarius, 1938-39
Samuel Cashwan (American, 1900 - 1988)
Limestone relief
Front entrance, Board of Water and Light
Samuel Cashwan's 32-foot stylized Aquarius rises above the geometric
Art Deco Cedar Street entrance. Water pours down from the
figure's urn to two small infants
symbolizing the distribution of water to the city of Lansing.
Fountain
Clivia Calder (American, born 1909)
Ceramic
Main lobby,
Board of Water and Light
The grand two-story lobby of the Board of Water and Light houses a ceramic fountain by
Clivia Calder. This sculptural group
shows two girls grooming themselves. The flanking stairs with streamlined
metal railings are graceful interpretations of machines,
also
found elsewhere in the
plant.
Mural, Water As Destructive Element, 1940
Beneficial Force of Water, 1940
Frank Cassara (American, born 1913)
Main lobby, Board of Water and Light

The upper lobby features three large panels, of which the outer two are by Frank
Cassara. Water as Destructive Element(on the
right)
depicts
flooding
and Beneficial Force of Water (on the left) shows water's advantages for health,
cleanliness and recreation.
Water as Hydro-Electric Power, 1941
Charles Pollock (American, 1902 – 1988)
Main lobby, Board of Water and Light

Charles Pollock's 1941 mural in the center shows
man's control over nature and the importance of water as hydro-electric power.
The figures represent agriculture and industry, and the use of plastics and
agricultural chemistry, refer to the research and work activities
undertaken in this building.
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