MYSTERY PHOTO: Building with history

This building, located somewhere in the Lowcountry, has an interesting history.  Where is it and what makes it special? Send to editor@charlestoncurrents.com.  And don’t forget to include your name and the town in which you live. 

Our previous Mystery Photo  

Our Nov. 16 photo, “Interesting place for a mural,” showed a painting of renowned blacksmith Philip Simmons on Avondale’s Alycia Alley behind Gene’s Haufbrau.  

Kudos to the four readers who correctly identified the location — Allan Peel of San Antonio, Texas; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; Marnie Huger of Richmond, Va.; and Jim McMahon of Charleston.  Half a point to Chris Brooks of Mount Pleasant who knew it showed Simmons.

Peel shared a glut of information about the work: “The mural is called ‘At Peace’ and was created by artist Matthew Foreman, known nationally for his ‘urban art’ of murals and portraits found on the sides of buildings and in art galleries throughout the USA. It is just one of many murals in this alleyway, which actually contains the largest cluster of street murals in the Charleston area, where local artists are actually encouraged to paint in the parking lots and on the back of businesses along this small stretch of the Savannah Highway.

“Foreman spent about eight years in Charleston before moving to New Orleans. He lived just a few doors down from Mr. Simmons in the early 2000s, during which time Foreman became fascinated with Mr. Simmons’ work and developed a high level of respect for the man known around the world for making masterpieces from the melting, bending and molding of iron. 

“This stretch of public art is often called ‘The Avondale Outdoor Gallery’ and is part of the ‘Charleston Art (chART) Outdoor Initiative’, which was started in 2011 by Geoff Richardson, proprietor of ‘Lava Salon’ which is also one of the Avondale Shops along Savannah Highway. There are more than 23 murals along this alleyway, and the rear facades of these buildings are constantly changing, since, true to the nature of ‘urban artwork’, none of it is intended to be permanent.

“Finally, I will close with an observation that the Charleston Currents, in its 01/02/2017 edition, had a brief article entitled: ‘PHOTO: A king of Charleston’ that also mentioned the murals in the alleyway behind the Avondale Shops, with a photo of the Bill Murray mural here.”

Thanks, Allan!

• Send us a mystery:  If you have a photo that you believe will stump readers, send it along (but make sure to tell us what it is because it may stump us too!)   Send it along to  editor@charlestoncurrents.com.