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Guardians of the Flame
This piece depicts three main figures. The composition of the mural is as follows: to the left, there is a phoenix. Behind it is a dragon that winds to the right and wraps around a woman. The form and placement of the dragon around the woman create a sense of protection. The contrast of the colors, the cool-toned blues and greens against the warm-toned reds, oranges, and yellows, creates a dynamic effect. The starkness of the yellow against everything else makes the eye immediately draw to the woman, making her seem the “center” or the most significant part of the piece. The lines at the bottom, curvy and cloud-like, create a sense of movement in the piece. The lines on the bird (the details of the feathers) and the scales on the dragon also echo this sense of movement, making the creatures seem more alive and dynamic. The use of pictorial space creates a slight illusion of 3-dimensional form, as the bird seems to be placed closer (in front of) the dragon, with the woman farther back. This placement of the characters places the phoenix and the dragon the closest to the front, again almost acting as protection, as they put their bodies first and shield the woman more behind them. The scale of the painting is quite large, taking up a whole side of a building. This large scale creates quite a daunting and breathtaking effect. As the viewer looks at it from below, it's like the figures are towering over them, emitting a sense of power and presence. -
Mural Welcomes Families to East Lake Street
This mural was made initially for the sole purpose of a new building that City Mischief has on Lake Street. The mural was a way to create a welcoming presence of the agency. The agency says “The mural brightens the space and reflects the diversity and strengths of all the diverse cultures of the neighborhood. “The images are especially powerful for children to identify with, including those attending The Family Partnership’s Four” Directions Family Center.” (city mischief). Every single person and symbol on the mural had meaning behind it. First thing was they put some symbols and people to symbolize the first nations of people on the land we are on today. The symbols include a jingle dress dancer which symbolizes and honors Ojibwe medicine and space and even there being the Lakota star which represents their connection to the spirit world, wisdom, and the cycle of life. To honor Latino culture, it highlighted a women wearing a Latin skirt which had the colors of the Mexican flag on it followed by orange and yellow marigold flowers which in Latino culture represent a powerful symbol for Dia de los Muertos. Additionally, because the huge population of east Africans in Minneapolis they also implemented quite a lot of symbols including a butterfly the color of the Somali flag, an east African mother reading to her child, and some pink flowers called the king protea which is the national flower in Somalia. Because of the death of Geroge Floyd which elevated the Black Lives Matter movement, they added the Black Lives Matter fist to memorialize him, and the many other lives lost in not only Minneapolis but everywhere else as well. This whole mural had intent and was incredibly detailed, everything on there is not only for looks but is a representation of lake street Minneapolis. -
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. -
The Horrors Persist But So Do I
The mural —painted on a sky-blue wall— depicts the artist’s interpretation of the Chinese wood dragon with a solar eclipse in totality. The dragon seems in motion snaking across the wall. The dragon is surrounded by stylized black, starry clouds as well as several colorful leafy and circular motifs. There are also depictions of butterflies and the wind on either side of the dragon. On the far left is the previously mentioned solar eclipse.
Composition: Very horizontal, designed to fit the long and low height of the “canvas”. Viewers’ eyes are immediately drawn to the dragon head, which is then led across the entire piece by the movement of the dragon. The composition is asymmetrically balanced. The detailed head of the dragon on the left is counterweighted by the length of its body and tail, which stretches across two-thirds of the mural. The solar eclipse acts as a visual anchor for the mural. Line: Bold contour lines are used to define the body of the dragon, as well as its horns, scales, and facial features. The flowing quality of the mural contrasts with the rigid and angular brick wall background.
Color: The palette is very vibrant and saturated. The dragon is drawn in cool shades of purples, greens, and teals. The black of the surrounding clouds is very important to the piece, as it functions as a negative space that helps “push” the colorful dragon forward, making it pop out even more.
Light: The mural does not use realistic lighting. Instead, it is graphically lit. The forms are flat, defined by color fills within the black outlines.
Depth: Depth is implied through overlapping. The dragon’s body weaves in front and behind the dark clouds. This simple layering is enough to separate the elements of the mural. Form: The forms are fundamentally two-dimensional and graphic.
Texture: The actual texture is that of the rough brick wall, which breaks up the illusion of the smoothness of the painted lines. The implied texture, however, is very soft, evident in the rendering of the dragon itself. -
‘Pitzik’ Q’ij: Courts of the Sun
Cadex Herrera's mural, Pitzik’ Q’ij: Courts of the Sun, is a mural located on a gray urban wall, framed by a thin, black and thick green lines on top. The mural takes up about a third of the wall. Visually, it is clearly divided into three different sections: two symmetrical outer panels and a colorful central panel. Herrera depicts the stability of Maya culture and tradition while capturing the energy of the ancient ballgame. The two outer predominantly green sections act as a mirrored frame, solidifying the dimension of the mural and creating imaginary margins. In these panels, Herrera depicts four male figures in traditional Maya clothing, including head decorations with leaves and ankle accessories. Each holds a musical instrument, such as a drum or a horn. Herrera positions these musicians in a stable, triangular stance, rooting them to the ground. On the left, perspective is used to draw the eye to the figure with a lion mask, while the right panel mirrors this composition, creating a powerful, balanced symmetry. In contrast to the green panels that serve as a framework, the central section explodes with a vibrant intense yellow, drawing the viewer’s attention to a scene of dynamic action. The area is dominated by a large sun, from which a red and yellow ball emerges with a sense of depth. Five individuals are depicted in front of this solar background. Unlike the grounded musicians, Herrera gives these central figures a sense of weightlessness and movement. He also creates a three-dimensional space by turning two of the figures away from the audience, putting the viewer into the scene, and creating a sense of interaction among the players. -
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. -
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. -
[Untitled]
The mural located on 1515 E Lake Street, created by Pablo Kalaka, employs a number of visual techniques that work together to compose a piece detailing community, culture, and elements of social change. Firstly, Kalaka uses distinct vibrant lines framing figures shown on the left-hand side of the mural. A curved red line followed by many lines of red, orange, and yellow give a radiant appearance to the blue, green, and red characters at the center. At the right hand side of the mural, lines serve as texture for the background to give a wood plank appearance making the colored figures pop out. Lines are also used to box off certain figures on the far right hand side of the mural making them stand out against the background. In terms of shape, Kalaka uses sharp geometric shapes like squares to surround important figures as well as objects. The shapes that Kalaka uses involve shading which give the mural a 3D lifelike appearance. Some figures on the right side of the mural are shown behind a wall, while a much larger figure carrying a cutting tool is shown in front of the wall. This gives depth to the mural and provides a natural transition from front to back. The scale of the mural is much larger than life size. The characters appear to be about giant sized and they are depicted with age considered for hierarchy of display. Older appearing figures are the largest and highest in the mural, while younger figures are shorter and almost cutoff. The figures are larger than life size despite being cutoff using shading techniques. There is a very large emphasis on the figures including a man, woman, and child on the right. On the right side there is also large depiction of food items. The mural uses a combination of warm and cool colors but emphasizes the brighter colors like oranges and yellows. On the left side of the mural there is an orange and yellow glow that illuminates the scene providing a backdrop for the darker colored figures to stand out. On the right side the colors are slightly darker but still give a warm feeling as the dark colors appear to be illuminated by light. Animal characters like the cardinal and the dog pop out against the monotone medium they cover. The same goes for the white bones which glow against the dark wood. -
Virgencita: A Tribute to Heritage and Hope
This mural is a large-scale artwork that covers the full length of the building’s exterior wall. Within this mural there are two main sections, an elderly couple on the left and the Virgin of Guadalupe on the right. A stretch of geometric color and floral designs runs between them, connecting the sides into a singular piece. The artist creates shallow pictorial space by keeping all elements close to the surface of the wall instead of creating the illusion of depth. Each figure is built from angular forms made up of flat, often triangular geometric shapes. Line plays an important role within this piece, as crisp edges separate each plane of color and define the contours of the figures and background. The colors used are bright and saturated, with reds, yellows, greens, purples, pinks, and blues arranged in bold contrasts.
Instead of using shading, the artist utilizes the placement of solid colored shapes to create definition in the images. The light is consistent throughout, emphasizing flatness rather than an external light source. The tone is lighter surrounding the figures, helping them to stand out from the more saturated, red background. The texture of the brick wall remains visible beneath the paint, as it is created through acrylic paint over masonry brick, which further integrates the mural with the building’s structure. This mural consistently repeats patterns, particularly using floral and geometric designs. The repeating patterns bring the composition together, tying the different sections of the mural together and keeping the large-scale piece balanced despite its many shapes and colors. Overall, the artist’s use of geometry, bold color, and precise linework results in a visually striking mural that engages the viewer.