Argo Park Mural
ann arbor, michigan / summer 2018
This public art project was completed as a commission through GIVE 365, a branch of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation. This site, located underneath train tracks, has been a popular spot for graffiti and tagging and is seen by the many that go to this park. The goal of this project was to cover up the graffiti and to instead paint a mural that extrapolated upon the sensations present at the park instead of a wall that visually contrasts it.
As the artist, I chose to work with abstract sensations that are present within the park space. Instead of focusing on what is empirically present at the site, such as foliage, the Hudson river, canoes, etc., I chose rather to pull from the ideas of motion, activity, life, energy, etc. I approached these themes in an active 5-color composition that represents these ideas abstractly, as well as serving as a spectacle on the surface.
I based this design off of two terms: vibrancy, and vitality. Vibrancy assumes spectacle, such as bright colors and composition, while vitality assumes a sense of strength and life that is achieved through the colors, shapes, and juxtaposition to the site, that being the river, those kayaking, running, walking, etc.
Original concept mockup
