Browsing the collage of colorful posters that make up the “Norwood Column,” Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, who represents the 36th New York Senate District which covers Norwood, came across one that caught his eye.

“This is what the Bronx is about,” Bailey said at the unveiling of the public art installation on July 16, pointing to a poster describing the Bronx as a “mini United Nations. “This is the world’s borough,” he said.

The “Norwood Column,” located at the southeast corner of East Mosholu Parkway and the Grand Concourse, across from the Pickwick Arms, is a temporary installation of the city’s Transportation Department art program (DOT Art), in collaboration with the Jerome Gun Hill Business Improvement District (BID) and artist Jenny Hung.

While technically in Bedford Park, the “Norwood Column” marks an entry point into the Norwood section of the Bronx, adding a colorful gateway into the BID that serves the Norwood area. The creation of this could not have happened without community input.

“The fact that they’re able to translate that idea from a thought to something visual, is incredible,” said Bailey.

Norwood residents were asked to respond to questions about the neighborhood. Select responses are featured on the posters that will interchange three times during the column’s 11-month stay on the parkway, bringing a different tone to each set.

Stressing the importance of public art in diverse communities like Norwood, Hung said, “So much of the art that is popular and famous, ends up in galleries and a lot of people don’t have access to it. It’s nice to have public art for people to converse about, for people to live and be in same space with.”

Incorporating beauty into those spaces is part of the mission, said BID Executive Director Jennifer Tausig. “One of our big initiatives this year is to do more beautification around public art,” she said. She added that people interested in having their words featured on the column can respond to the “Norwood Column” questionnaire on the Jerome Gun Hill BID website.

Designed after the European advertising columns of the late 19th century, the collection of quotes on the column is displayed in fonts inspired from signs, advertisements, and storefronts taken from Norwood.

“We’re constantly repurposing public space and envisioning how to make it a better experience for the public,” said Emily Colasacco, the director of the DOT’s Public Art Program. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the program and Colasacco promises more public art works in the Bronx, including one planned at East Tremont Avenue and Boston Road.

For now, Hung says the first iteration of the “Norwood Column” features a mix of historical facts and residents’ thoughts on the neighborhood. “It’s sort of like a nice intro to Norwood,” she said.