The City with a Mural on (Nearly) Every Wall
For decades, street artwas bemoaned as a symptom of urban decay and detritus — a sign that system had lost control. It was called graffiti (and still is, depending on who you ask), an insidious and foreign-sounding label that suggested the work was anything butart. Times have changed, however; mainstream culture now recognizes that street art canbeiconic,sensational, and good for business. But what if it was created with the intention of being a public good, as a tool that could revitalize and beautify a neighborhood? Richmond, the capital of Virginia, decided to find out.
Now in its fourth year, the Richmond Mural Project brings internationally renowned mural artists to install pieces (with the building owners’ permission) throughout the city. The mission: create the highest concentration of murals in the world, turning Richmond into a global destination for street art lovers.
“I thought, ‘I can make a change in Richmond,'” recallsShane Pomajambo, a Washington, D.C.,art galleryowner and organizer of the project. Initially, he had met with the mayor and city council members with the intention of creating an arts district within the city, but it quickly expanded into a wider effort to encouraging business throughout Richmond, or “putting feet on the street,” as the New York-born Pomajambo says.
With a total of 84 murals since the project’s inception, it’s inspired local artists as well, who have added to the impressive displays across Richmond’sbrick walls.
“In the beginning, most people were against it, but there has to be a tipping point, where you have enough momentum and substance. It will just take off.” says Pomajambo. “The amount of murals going up is outstanding from the local side. Now there’s murals everywhere.”
Below are some of our favorites, which we culled fromInstagram: