College Park is looking to add a major new mural to its main strip, continuing the trend of a growing public art scene along the Route 1 corridor.
The College Park City-University Partnership is seeking an artist or artists to add an artsy touch to the empty wall on the tan building at 7404 Baltimore Ave., above Qù Japan and next to Nando’s.
The mural would be a “signal to residents, visitors, and other business owners that the Baltimore Avenue corridor in College Park is an interesting destination for arts, culture, and businesses,” the partnership notes.
The call for artists also says that it wants a mural “that reflects College Park history” and can help “brand” the city’s downtown. Though the best public art on the Route 1 corridor often hasn’t been too restricted.
When public art tries too hard to educate, it can end up heavy-handed, like the backs of one of those overly busy state quarters showing Lewis and Clark rowing through the St. Louis Gateway Arch.
If College Park wants to continue branding itself as modern and hip and a destination for arts and culture, it needs to let the art speak for itself like the “Nando’s Mural” next to Nando’s in College Park, created by Kilmany-Jo Liversage in 2015 in partnership with the Hyattsville CDC and its Public Art initiative.
Iy would be fitting if the mural included a depiction of the legendary Joint Possession, which did business at 7402 Baltimore Boulevard back in the late sixties and seventies , selling underground newspapers, comics, posters and other counter culture merchandise.
The JP also figured in a noted First Amendment case involving the sale of allegedly obscene material.
Of course the nearby Varsity Grill was perhaps more famous (or infamous) and probably worthy of inclusion itself.
Thanks Mark! That’s really interesting. We’ll see if we can dig up anything on Joint Possession and/or Varsity Grill for a possible future post.
If you’re familiar with a place in Remington called R. House, you may have seen my fish mural outside in the parking area. I’m very interested in working on a new wall, but the restrictions are a red flag. I would urge you to simply look at various artists portfolios and let them create. Creating more committee art is a waste of space, time, materials, and inevitably blends into the background, moving or inspiring no one.
There used to be (sort of) a mural either right there, or on the adjacent building, I guess until 6 or 8(?) years ago. It created an illusion of taller buildings behind it.
Hello I would love to have yhe opportunity
to paint a mural here
I have a Facebook page showing previous
photos of water tanks and Murals
@Aldinger Signs & Murals
Thanks Phil
410-404-0874
Check out this page to learn how to submit your proposal. https://collegeparkpartnership.org/cpmuralrfp/