art.wikisort.org - Museum

Randyland is an art museum located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is widely regarded as one of America's most colorful public art landmarks.[2][3] The museum was created by Randy Gilson and is dedicated to his outsider art.[4]

Randyland

Location of Randyland in Pittsburgh
Established	1995 (1995)
Location	1501 Arch Street Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212
Coordinates	40.4579292°N 80.00973699999997°W / 40.4579292; -80.00973699999997
Visitors	200,000+ (2019)[1]
Founder	Randy Gilson
Nearest parking	Street
Website	randy.land

Randyland has played an important role in the cultural rejuvenation of Pittsburgh with its neighbors City of Asylum and Mattress Factory.[5][6][7] Randyland has received international attention through viral listicles.[8][9] It now counts itself among the most photographed places on Instagram.[10]

History

Randy Gilson was born in Homestead, Pennsylvania. Early in life he suffered from homelessness and poverty. He moved to Pittsburgh's Northside in 1982 where he was a community activist planting over 800 street gardens and 50 vegetable gardens.[11] His guerrilla gardening spans otherwise vacant lots across Manchester, the Mexican War Streets, and surrounding neighborhoods.[12]

The property that would become Randyland was purchased on a credit card for $10,000 in 1995.[13] Gilson uses dumpster diving and upcycling to fill his home with colorful oddities that include pink flamingos, mannequins, and plastic dinosaurs.[14] The houses and fences are adorned with murals depicting neighbors dancing and smiling.[15]

In late 2016, Gilson's partner Mac McDermott was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer.[16] Upon hearing the news Randyland fans raised over $20,000 and sent Randy and Mac on their first vacation ever. The couple visited the Grand Canyon and Hollywood.[17] Afterwards, Gilson retired from his restaurant job to spend more time with the ailing McDermott. Following the announcement Foo Conner joined Randyland as co-director.[11][16][18]

The neighborhood around the museum experienced explosive growth in 2016-2019.[19] Randyland itself reportedly doubled in attendance.[20] The courtyard was completely overhauled to accommodate the traffic. Under Conner's curation, the facility embraced being a Selfie Museum as a vibrant backdrop for photos.[21]

David Paul Francis "Mac" McDermott died on January 10, 2019.[20] As Gilson's partner, he was posthumously given the title of co-founder. Journalists noted that McDermott may have downplayed his role when alive but was a backbone of the museum.[22] Later that year, Randyland received the Mayor's Award for Public Art for 2019. Conner left the museum early 2020.[21]

Because it is outdoors, Randyland was one of the only art museums opened in Pennsylvania during the COVID-19 pandemic.[19] Gilson came out of retirement. The Courtyard was changed to a socially distanced playground throughout quarantine. Many of the original murals have been painted over. As of 2022, Randyland is still free and popular tourist attraction.[23][24]

Exhibits

• 
  The Courtyard of Randyland
• 
  Outside Celebration Mural
• 
  Randyland Welcome Wall
• 
  Randyland Mirror Wall

In popular culture

• The documentary The Spirit of Pittsburgh features a Randy Gilson's gardening alongside Fred Rogers.[25]
• The documentary Pursuing Happiness features Randy Gilson as one of the happiest people in America.[26]
• When a blizzard postponed Guster's Pittsburgh concert, they instead recorded a viral music video in the alleyway near Randyland.[27][28]
• Randy Gilson succeeded Rick Sebak as the Mardi Gras King of Pittsburgh.[29][30]
• A teenager's "Summer Bucket List 2017", which included Randyland as a place to visit, went viral.[31][32]
• Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown calls Randyland an essential for the "Perfect Day in Pittsburgh".[33]

Awards

• Mayor's Award for Public Art 2019[21]

References

External links

• Official website

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