Olalekan Jeyifous’s street-level diptych window installation Present Pastimes at the UrbA community in Arlington, Virginia is a playful reimaging of a miniature golf course depicting leisure in a pre-digital, bygone era. Jeyifous combines references to vintage commercial signage and mid-century architecture that used to be found in the area, including the Ballston Putt-Putt, which operated for more than 50 years before the area’s high-rise development. 

The artwork was commissioned by Southeastern Development Associates as part of the first phase of their UrbA mixed use development, which includes apartments over a flagship Harris Teeter store in Arlington’s Ballston neighborhood. Via worked with Southeastern to identify the artist for the project and then worked with Jeyifous through the development of his concept, approvals, and installation.

Serving as a focal point for the UrbA community, the resulting artwork creates a space for social interaction and provides a shared experience for residents, workers, and shoppers. Its sense of playful nostalgia set against a colorfully rendered modernist backdrop acknowledges both the everyday and iconic historical architectural landscape while celebrating the ongoing evolution and transformation of this thriving community.