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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. -
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. -
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. -
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.
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Untitled
This is a large-scale piece of art that spreads over three walls and spans approximately 3500 square feet. The entire frame is filled with vibrant colors that immediately capture the attention of anyone walking by. The women represented are wearing traditional clothing and jewelry inspired by Latinx cultures to represent the artist's community and culture. One woman is seen holding her hand out and blows colorful geometric shapes into the air. The concept of blowing out of her hand symbolizes the idea of giving life or spreading energy and sharing culture with the world. The women’s breath is being transformed into geometric shapes; this symbolizes giving the community the opportunity to spread her culture or ideas. She is breathing life into her community and surroundings, engulfing them with pride and vibrancy.
The mural incorporates both animals and plants which connect to different cultures and communities on Lake Street. There is some illusion of three-dimensionality shown in the plants (pinecones, flowers, etc.), and in the people as they look like they could come out of the wall.
The front wall contains many different colors representing the seasons and including types of plants that go along with those seasons; pinecones, winter berries, snowflakes, spring tulips, summer flowers, autumn leaves. The side walls feature bright, vibrant colors. There is much natural representation through the many different forms of wildlife, including a butterfly, fish, turtle, pinecones, mistletoe, snow, flowers, tulips, and leaves. There is no definite edge to this mural; it just simply ends where the building does, and Melodee cannot paint anymore. There is no shadowing in this work, but there are patterns derived from textiles, pottery, and different cultures around the world that relate to these specific communities and cultures. The overall tone of this mural is bright, vibrant, and uplifting. This tone is achieved through a highly saturated color palette as the artist uses bright vibrant colors ranging throughout the entire color spectrum. These colors help the artist create an atmosphere of joy, renewal, and enlightenment. The lightness in this mural continues to represent themes of hope, pride, and cultural vibrancy. -
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. -
[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.