PUBLIC ART
MISSISSIPPI MURAL
Th Mississippi Mural was created as part of our Alley Project in downtown Minneapolis. We were brought on by the Minneapolis Downtown Improvement District (@mplsdid) to help further their work with FAIR School for Arts and bring vibrancy, safety, and community to the urban scape of downtown.
We were inspired by a topographic map of the Mississippi River, which details the different stages and routes of the river over the years. The map shows how the river was historically used by indigenous peoples as a walking path to the south, and we wanted to incorporate this history in the finished work.
To begin the project, we needed a clean slate. We hired people from the community to help power wash and prepare all surfaces for painting.
THE PROCESS
Stakeholders envisioned a curated evolution of this existing alleyway, which had previously been underutilized and was becoming a safety and security liability for the surrounding community.
As always, we engaged the community and welcomed them into the creative process. Our lead muralist, KC Robbinson, worked closely with local folks to choose the colors and paint both vertical and horizontal surfaces.