Lake Street
- Title
- Lake Street
Collection Items
-
Together
Raúl Villanueva’s Together mural stretches across the exterior wall of the East Lake Street Target, presenting a symmetrical composition filled with color, rhythm, and balance. The mural features groups of people of color kneeling or standing on either side of a central image of six interconnected hands reaching toward a yellow butterfly. Each figure holds their hands open, as if giving or receiving, surrounding blossoms that appear to grow through and connect them. The entire composition flows horizontally, framed by a soft blue background that brightens the figures and reinforces the mural’s message of openness and unity.
Color is central to the design: rich yellows, pinks, reds, and greens contrast with the cool blue background, symbolizing warmth, life, and renewal. The repeated pattern of three butterflies in each section unites the mural, creating a rhythm that mirrors the theme of connection. The flowers’ stems intertwine through the hands and figures, visually representing growth as a shared process—each person contributing to something larger than themselves.
Villanueva’s use of symmetry and repetition brings a sense of balance and calm to the work, while subtle variations in gesture and tone prevent it from feeling static. The smooth shapes, rounded forms, and harmonious colors echo the community’s desire for healing after hardship. Viewed as a whole, the mural creates a gentle but powerful visual reminder of togetherness, compassion, and continuity. -
Chimborazo Is Here
In Pablo Kalaka’s "Chimborazo is Here," Kalaka’s vibrant style is evident with his use of bright and highly contrasting colors. The wall itself that the mural was painted on has differing depths, with the front wall of Aspro Auto Sales protruding out from the larger wall of Amaana Adult Daycare Center. As an observer taking in the large mural as a whole, the eye first travels to the piece of “canvas” closest to the observer, which is the awning protruding out from the auto sales office, which Kalaka painted a shingle-like effect with various pinks and reds of various sizes and depths. Below the awning, on the wall of the auto sales office, Kalaka uses the natural set up of the business to set his scene. He paints vibrant green and blue shutters around the existing windows, and paints his own window scene, where he paints a man and a woman appearing inside the building, accommodating the request of a young patron on the outside of the window. On the left side of the mural, Kalaka creates depth with his placement of Mount Chimborazo in the background and an Andean Condor in the foreground. Preceding the mountain, Kalaka lays several wavy, horizontal lines. These lines are filled in with light blue in the foreground and fade into a darker blue close to the mountain, giving the visual of moving waters. Billowing clouds rise up around the snowcapped mountain. The bird and the surrounding vegetation flow into the upper portion of the wall and a continuation of the foreground. The lush vegetation and wildlife settles in behind the illusion of a local business with a beautiful Chimborazo view. Kalaka gives the illusion of the lush vegetation from overlapping and stacked leaves and flowers. Colors pop in this section with bright and contrasting greens and blues of leaves versus oranges and reds of flowers and a cardinal. Kalaka places two other people on the mural as well. On the far right side of the mural, he painted a woman cloaked in magenta, wearing a hijab with detailed natural creases and shadows. Around her, the illusion of wind is given by Kalaka, with garments and fabrics given a billowing effect, as they appear to be blowing in the wind while being hung out to dry. On the side wall of the protruding auto sales business, not visible when viewing the mural from “head on”, Kalaka paints a man walking next to the blue trimmed front door of the business. Like the woman’s hijab on the opposite side, the man’s clothing is given impressive detail and depth with the use of wrinkles and shadows. The man appears old, with a visibly wrinkled face and cane in his right hand. -
Loroco
The composition of this mural leads the viewer’s gaze from the left of the mural, where the three Salvadorean ladies are cooking pupusas, to the right of the mural, where the smoke leads the gaze to the colorful village. Bold lines are used to energize the mural while maintaining a soft, nostalgic feeling. The artist represents the village with repeated geometric shapes that form a sense of unity and togetherness, and this is contrasted with the soft and organic human forms. Vibrant yet warm colors cover this piece, with warm reds and yellows of the sun in the sky contrasting with the deep and cool purples and blues of the houses and the women’s clothing. The sunset-like lighting provokes a dreamlike and introspective quality in the mural and generates a cinematic atmosphere. The clean, thoughtful brushstrokes give the surface a smooth texture and the image a sense of precision. The overlapping figures create a sense of spatial recession, though the three women on left of the painting appear to be much closer to the viewer than the town on the right. The life-sized figures give the mural an approachable feel and provoke a stronger emotional connection with the viewer. The artist’s use of a brush and acrylic paint give the mural the vibrant emotion captured in Salvadorean culture. The artist uses color-blocking to create an expressive and semi-realistic mural that best highlights both Salvadorean culture and the community’s approach to street art. -
The Great Camel
The Great Camel mural spans the full length of a two story building on Lake Street and it garners attention through its vibrant colors and creative design. Painted by the Kushite Arts Collective, the mural features a central rust-colored camel that is framed by an expansive light blue backdrop. Within this light blue backdrop in the center of the piece, there is a white star that references the Somali flag. This visual reference by Aziz Osman and Abdulahi Garaad establishes a strong cultural anchor of East African identity and pride. The mural's composition is laid out horizontally which leads the viewer’s eye from left to right across a scene of natural and flowing forms. On the left side of the piece, a white goat and blooming flowers in shades of red, orange, and yellow give warmth to the mural as they transition to the prominent camel at the center of the piece which is surrounded by a cool light blue. The camel at the center of the piece really stands as the focal point both in scale and emotional resonance. The moon which glows softly behind the goat near the center of the mural also serves as a compositional anchor by connecting the animals beneath it in a shared nocturnal calm light that can be seen shining on the goat, camel, and bird. On the right side of the piece, a large bird can be seen painted in beautiful yellows and blues which brings a sense of peace and freedom to the mural. The animals in the mural placed against flowing designs and vivid colors in the background creates a sense of movement that mirrors the vibrant and constantly active life of the Lake Street corridor itself. Overall, The Great Camel mural combines vibrant color, cultural symbolism, and actively flowing composition to create a mural that feels both real and dreamlike at the same time. -
Beauty in Heritage
Beauty in Heritage is an unusual work when considering the scale and location. Rather than being a large mural covering the side of a building, this piece stretches the length of a retaining wall on the inside of the parking lot of the Division of Indian Works. It is composed of bold, saturated colors that contrast with the dull pavement it sits next to. The eye-catching shapes of strawberry plants and the iconic prairie rose are emboldened by sharp, stencil-like contour outlines. These two plants are repeated across the entire length of the retaining wall, in a simple alternating pattern. They overlay a bright, aqua foundational color, consistent with the existing works adjacent to it. Spanning the wall, the prairie roses and strawberry plants are centered latitudinally, and have a consistent, small gap between each of the plants. The small scale of the wall and height of the work are compensated for by the saturation of paint and its bold, simple nature, which stands out against the city environment.
From a distance, the wall looks flat and smooth due to the copy-and-paste nature of the plant pattern. Closer up, the texture of the wall is visible and urges to be seen, providing a stark contrast between the rough cinderblocks and the sharp, cartoon-esque painted pattern. This pattern can also be viewed as a reflection of the limitations of the “canvas”, or wall that the work was meant for. As mentioned earlier, the bold colors not only provide contrast with the surrounding environment but also exhibit consistency within the work. The varying greens of the leaves on each plant appear to have been painted with the same colors, along with the pink petals of the strawberry plants aligning with the prairie rose petals. Though, the prairie rose petals are distinguished by their gradient of varying shades of pink. The overarching theme of this work is an identifiable pattern that succeeds in contrasting its environment through color, pattern, and form. -
Joy
This mural spans the whole side of the building, making it an eye-catching piece for those passing by. Its large scale helps it stand out and makes the energetic figures appear life-sized. The composition moves horizontally, guiding the viewer’s eyes across the mural. The children in the mural look as if they are jumping and dancing, giving the piece a sense of movement and cheerfulness. The background of clouds and sky makes the scene feel open and bright, as if the children are floating. Added details of black birds and orange music notes add to the playfulness of the piece, evoking feelings of freedom and liveliness. The colors are bright and bold, the vivid blue sky and white clouds making a nice contrast with the dark silhouettes of the children. Their figures are outlined in colors like yellow, green, and purple, giving each one a unique look. This detail adds a fun touch while also creating the illusion of depth. The lines spanning the mural help connect the different figures, moving the viewer’s gaze across the wall. There is not a clear source of light in the mural, but the sky-blue background suggests a daytime sky. The tone is contrasting, as the dark figures of the children stand out against the colorful background. The roughness of the brick wall contrasts with the smooth, soft-edged designs of the art. Overall, it feels happy and full of movement, bringing the space life and positivity. -
Ven, Seremos
This mural is large and takes up most of the wall/side of the building, but does not fill the entire wall. The visuals in this mural are arranged mostly clustered on the right-hand side of the wall, somewhat symmetrically. The butterflies spread out and reach along the left-hand side of the wall, away from the main part of the mural. The hands and flower draw the initial attention because of their larger size in comparison to the smaller butterflies. This mural gives the illusion of three-dimensions because of the overlapping elements. Some of the components of the mural are also physically attached on top of the wall, rather than being painted straight on. This really gives the illusion that the mural actually is three-dimensional because the hands, flower, and first butterfly all feel like they are coming out at you, contrasting from the flatter vegetables on the bottom, especially when viewed from a side angle. The shading of the flower gives the appearance that it is opening to the left side, as well as showing that the butterfly is actually flying into the center. The artist used natural forms (plants and animals) of various sizes to create this mural. Most of the forms in this mural are created using sharp, clean lines to create borders and outlines that separate the different elements from each other. Within each component (example, leaf coming off flower), the lines are a little bit softer and appear to be more blended in. This mural has four dominant colors: orange, purple, green, and blue. The darker colors of purple and green in the flower and hands help contrast it from the brighter orange used in the butterflies, and the lighter blue circle acts as a good background for the main part of the mural to help it stand out from the dark black wall. The vegetables painted at the bottom of the mural continue to use these colors, which helps everything feel connected. Depending on which side the mural is viewed from, the light creates a shadow from the 3D aspect of the flower and hands on one side, and the other side appears to be less shaded and more blended into the wall. During the daylight, the lightness of the butterflies is especially emphasized in contrast to the darker shades in the rest of the mural. Walking up close to this mural, you can see the components that come off of the wall, which provides a more uneven texture rather than the entire thing being flat. I imagine the parts of the mural that are directly on the wall had to have been done with some type of brush due to how clean the borders are and how there is no appearance of any drips from spray paint. There is some repetition in the three butterflies, as well as the leaves on the flower and the symmetry of the vegetables on the bottom of the mural. -
Low Orbit
Low Orbit, is a very large mural that spans across an entire side of a building. With numerous artistic techniques, this piece will surely catch a passerby’s eye. To start, its composition is very well put together. The entire wall of the building was painted black, allowing the bright, vibrant colors and images to stand out. The figures of the astronauts dominate the composition as their profiles are created with shading and contour to create a three-dimensional effect.
Throughout the pictorial space, a linear perspective is created spanning the entire mural. The green lightning spans across the entire surface, guiding the viewers' eyes across the entire mural. This works hand in hand with the scale of the mural. Its size allows for an engaging contrast between larger-than-life astronauts, human-sized alien figures, and small, intricate details such as planets and stars. This scale allows people to view the mural both from a distance and up close.
There is also the addition of an outside medium that contributes a humorous and creative element to the work. As the mural spans across a long stretch of wall, it is intersected by a telephone pole. Rather than viewing this as an obstacle, the artist cleverly incorporates it into the composition by painting a human-sized alien peeking out from behind the post. Through this creative use of space, the artist transforms a potential distraction into a humorous addition to the mural.
What this mural does so well is the representation of color, shadow, and tone to create a stunning visual scene. The contrast between the dark background and vibrant neon colors really gives it a pop. The shadowing and lighting on the astronauts’ suits create a three-dimensional effect, making it seem as if they are coming off the wall. This use of contrast between the color and shadow creates a sense of depth, adding vast amounts of detail to the mural, making it a truly stunning piece of work.
-
Hope
“Hope” by Gulsan Osman (Guulsame) transforms a public wall with vibrant expressions of resilience and optimism. The mural’s large scale helps draw the attention of motorists and pedestrians passing by. Guulsame uses contrasting colors, bold lines, and rhythmic forms, guiding the viewers’ eyes across the mural and creating a sense of energy and forward motion. The colors reinforce the mural’s title, “Hope,” with the bright tones of red, yellow, orange, and blue, which prompt light breaking through the darkness. The composition of the mural is carefully arranged. The central figure, the black cat, is located on the side closest to the perpendicular Lake Street and is also anchored into the piece. From the cat, the shapes and figures radiate outwards, suggesting unity in the cat but moving outwards in growth. The colors and lines work together to create harmony, as well as dynamics in the piece. The sun and blue circle have defined edges, while parts of the tree seem to transition into the red background through a fuzzy yellow outline. The cat’s outline and texture are also fuzzy, giving its fur a realistic look. The combination of these techniques allows the mural to feel both grounded and not fully defined. The more intricate lines create texture in the cat’s fur coat and the surface of the tree. The lines involved in making the cat’s coat are fluid and dynamic, with sweeping motions that combine the colors of the environment with the black fur. The white lines that create whiskers create definition in the otherwise fluid surroundings. The textures of the painted surface interact with the building’s material, emphasizing the connection between art and community space. -
Beauty is Everywhere
The mural uses curvy lines to form organic shapes like the petals, leaves, and butterfly wings. The outlines are bold and clean. The curved lines and rounded forms give the mural movement and liveliness. The colors used in this mural are saturated and high contrast. It uses intense reds, yellows, purples, oranges, greens, and blues. The bright blue background makes these colors stand out even more. There are complementary color pairings that create energy and depth in the mural. Although the surface of this mural is flat, there is texture through the layered colors and shaded tones when looking at the flower petals and butterfly wings. The overlapping creates visual texture on the mural, making it look full. The texture of the building’s surface adds a specific look to the paint on the wall, making it look a bit rough, which intensifies the organic feel of the mural. The mural has a sense of brightness across all elements because there is not one single light source used. This makes the mural feel more festive. This mural was painted on an exterior wall and is surrounded by a wooden pergola and hanging plants. The design has an arrangement of flowers, butterflies, and other foliage. This mural does not have a single focal point; instead, the viewer looks across the wall from one flower or butterfly to the next one.