Buddha Mural Buddha Mural Credit: Erik Esckilsen No, you’re not being paranoid: Watchful eyes are peering at you from the intersection of Pine and Locust streets. Ron Hernandez’s red-and-yellow mural is a South End icon, yet the meaning is little known. The face, airbrushed on one side of a Burlington Electric Department storage unit in 2004 as a beautification project, actually belongs to Buddha. As the artist told Seven Days in 2011, the eyes — slightly lopsided — convey the Awakened One’s message that “Nothing is perfect, but you do the best you can.” Burlington Earth Clock Burlington Earth Clock Credit: Matthew Thorsen Is Stonehenge on your bucket list? Burlington has its own version in the South End. The Earth Clock, constructed in 2007, was part of a project called Circles for Peace. Inspired by ancient and Indigenous cultures, the 43.5-foot circle neighboring Blanchard Beach acts as a clock, compass and calendar. Just west of the stones, which weigh up to 20 tons, a panoramic view of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks awaits. If you lose track of time gazing at the mountains, well, you know what to do. “File Under So. Co., Waiting for…” “File Under So. Co., Waiting for…” Credit: Alice Dodge Better known as the World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet, this art installation has become a beloved South End tourist attraction, though few visitors know its origin story. Artist Bren Alvarez created the sculpture in 2002 to protest the Southern Connector: Each drawer of the cabinet represented a year that the long-stalled road project was up for debate. Before it was moved in 2020 to accommodate the road’s construction, the cabinet stood directly in its path. The renamed Champlain Parkway finally opened this summer. “Inside Out” “Inside Out” Credit: James Buck Once the site of a brush and bristle factory, Dealer.com transformed its Howard Street headquarters and, in 2015, turned its 32-foot-tall twin silos into an unlikely artistic spectacle. Muralist Mary Lacy covered them in colorful geometric abstractions inspired by origami — the kaleidoscopic design has become familiar to those with a Pine Street commute. Officially called “Inside Out,” the artwork is a nod to the digital marketing company’s relationship with the South End community. “Let It Be” “Let It Be” Credit: Luke Awtry Unveiled last September, “Let It Be: A Cautionary Tale of the Pine Street Barge Canal” is a collaborative mural and history lesson in one. Hanging outside BCA Studios, it depicts the industrial canal’s complex history and transformation from a Superfund site to a modern-day community hub. Juniper Creative Arts worked with eight young adults through Burlington City Arts’ Artist Apprenticeship Program to create the mural. As teen Calvin Millham-Berry told Seven Days in 2025, it emphasizes “the healing that can happen when we let nature be.” “long way home” “long way home” Credit: Cecilia Luce Artist Kevin Cincotta braved an early July heat wave this summer to create one of the South End’s newest murals. Titled “long way home,” it brings to life quintessential Vermont imagery — mountains, cattle and strawberries — with abstract style and color choices. Pastel pink and forest green are beautiful contrasts to the bold red and orange of the Soda Plant’s exterior. Detour to Haymaker Bun for a coffee and a treat, then take a few steps around the corner to check it out. Soda Plant Rocket Ship Soda Plant Rocket Ship Credit: Luke Awtry One of Burlington’s most eccentric hubs, the Soda Plant is a former soda factory now home to artist studios, a coffee roaster, a bakery and even a modern soda lounge. Building owner Steve Conant, who also founded Conant Metal Light, made sure the décor reflects its quirky vibe. He’s responsible for a few artistic flourishes on-site — most notably, a 6,000-pound rocket ship that sits outside. (Don’t miss his rhinoceros head bursting through the clapboard facing Pine Street, either.) The post 7 Pieces of Public Art in Burlington’s South End appeared first on Seven Days. ...read more read less