Help with locations of murals painted on buildings?

[hepcat]

I live near a fellow who paints barn murals, and I'm going to begin to document his work on medium format film as an on-going project this spring, perhaps ultimately with an eye towards a coffee-table book. I'd like to expand this project to a wider geographical area though.

I'm located in Iowa, and will start locally, but I'll expand out into the Midwest first, and then further as I can travel.

If you know of a barn or other building with a mural painted on it... or a "graffiti barn" or a building with similar kinds of folk-art painted on the sides of it, could you please post the address in this thread, and add a snapshot if you could? I travel in the U.S. frequently and may be able to add your location into a trip at some point. I'll also share the images I make here with you as well as the project develops.

Thanks!

 

[Rodchenko]

I also like murals, but I'm in the UK. Perhaps if you are heading over this way sometime, I can point you in the right direction. As for the US, I'm afraid I can't help, but I am keen to see your images.

Mural painting is a very particular art, and, sadly, some important murals - in the US and UK - are being lost.

 

[Frank Petronio]

If you search for graffiti project, Rochester, NY there are quite a few murals here, sponsored and sanctioned by the powers that be....

My favorites are the 1930s Socialist murals inside older Post Offices, rapidly disappearing.....

 

[rodt16s]

There is an artist from where I live who painted murals around the world.. the local ones are slowly disappearing.
Catch yours while you still can.

 

[cz23]

Nice project concept, hepcat. My hometown of Naperville, IL has embraced murals on city buildings. There are now many of them, mostly dealing with the history and culture of the area.

If you're heading to Chicago from Iowa, we're on the way, about 30 miles west of the big city. (I believe there are parts of Chicago that are mural-rich.)

These examples should give you as sense of our murals:

1. This is a very small section of a mural that runs probably 50 yards on both sides of an alley. It celebrates the townspeople in a parade motif. The artist seems to know a thing or two about street photography. It's crammed with entertaining human details like this.

2. This one is on the side of a downtown steakhouse. It's probably 50 feet long and celebrates the town's history.

3. I believe this one celebrates jazz. It's huge and on the backdrop of an outdoor bandshell where weekly concerts are performed. It's richly detailed.

4. This one is by the Freemasons and is cool because it has all that Da Vinci Code symbolism in it.

If you decide to visit Naperville, PM me and I'll give locations of ones I know. But I think if search google images for "naperville murals" you'll find these and many more.

I have not photographed them in any formal way, but I would think lighting is very important. You're dealing with the texture of brick and other wall materials and must decide how to address that so it does not compete with mural details, as in my first example.

Good luck with your project.

John

 

[hepcat]

Nice project concept, hepcat. My hometown of Naperville, IL has embraced murals on city buildings. There are now many of them, mostly dealing with the history and culture of the area.

If you're heading to Chicago from Iowa, we're on the way, about 30 miles west of the big city. (I believe there are parts of Chicago that are mural-rich.)

If you decide to visit Naperville, PM me and I'll give locations of ones I know. But I think if search google images for "naperville murals" you'll find these and many more.

I have not photographed them in any formal way, but I would think lighting is very important. You're dealing with the texture of brick and other wall materials and must decide how to address that so it does not compete with mural details, as in my first example.

Good luck with your project.

John

Wow, John, thanks! I live in Grant Wood country, so this kind of 'realism' is kind of stamped on the countryside here. In fact, one of the local artist's images is of "American Gothic" painted on a small barn near Cedar Rapids. That's the piece that really got me thinking about documenting these pieces.

Because of your post here, Naperville has quickly jumped to the top of my list. As a fifth generation Master Mason for almost thirty years, twice Past Master of our local lodge, your last image really intrigues me. There is much Masonic symbolism there to be explored. The depiction of the local cop giving the artist a citation must have some roots too. I love that kind of stuff. My bet is that it's an image of a local copper and a self-portrait of the artist who have, at some point, had a negative interaction.

I know that there is a lot of this kind of art happening in "Main Street" project towns through-out the Mid-West. What's amazing is the semi-permanence of these amazing pieces of folk-art. They'll be vibrant for a few years... then begin to fade... then, depending on the fortunes of the town, be renewed, re-painted, painted over, or left to deteriorate. And that process fascinates me.

These are exactly the kinds of tips I'd hoped to get. And when I'm heading that way I'll let you know. Again, my thanks!

Roger

 

[cz23]

Sure thing, hepcat. The parade mural is interesting because a sufficient donation gets you and your family in the mural.

Here's a google images on "naperville murals." I have not seen many of them. Makes me curious to locate them.

John