Columbia has been getting more and more public art as of late. Here are some of the murals we love around town:
Erin Shaw eshaw@thestate.com
1. WatermarkedSC
Leadership Columbia’s sprucing up of the Lincoln Street tunnel included four murals – two by the leadership class and two by Michael Dantzler and Keith Tolen. Dantzler’s abstract map of the capital city is took one month to complete and is especially eye-catching.
Where: 1300 Lincoln St.
Erin Shaw eshaw@thestate.com
2. Milagros mural
For this year’s Indie Grits festival, event organizers invited the Miami-based Milagros Collective to be visiting artists. Milagros co-founders Felici Asteinza and Joey Fillastre, along with their collaborators, painted body parts on a backdrop of hypnotic swirls.
Where: Assembly and Taylor streets
Erin Shaw eshaw@thestate.com
3. Waterlines mural
Josef Kristofoletti painted this mural as part of Indie Grits 2016 to go with the festival’s “Waterlines” theme. Titled “Tokamak,” the piece is named after a special type of nuclear fusion reactor and is meant to resemble a digital waterline left on the side of a building.
Hopkins artist Cedric Umoja, along with Karl Zurflüh of Charleston and Brandon Donahue of Nashville, were commissioned to bring some color to Millwood Avenue. The artists drew inspiration from nearby Lyon Street neighborhood residents, who pegged community and rebirth as important themes in their lives and future.
Where: On Millwood Avenue between Tree and House streets, just below Black Box Barber Shop.
Provided photo.
5. Columbia Bethlehem Community Center mural
One Columbia for Arts and History and the Columbia Bethlehem Community Center partnered on a mural for the center in North Columbia. Created by artists John Hairston Jr. and Ariel Flowers, the mural represents the center’s efforts to assist children and families in the Midlands and is part of a pilot program by One Columbia to train young artists to work with communities across the city.
Where: 344 McRae St.
Erin Shaw eshaw@thestate.com
6. James Brown mural
Columbia native Tripp Barnes painted this color explosion as part of his hometown mural tour. The artist now lives in New York, but returned last spring to paint several works around town, including this smiling James Brown.
Where: Rosewood Drive next to Pelican’s SnoBalls
Erin Shaw eshaw@thestate.com
7. Discovery mural
According to One Columbia, this mural features allegorical symbols “representing Columbia’s past and present: Discovery, Government, Civil War, Industry, and Agriculture.” You might forget it’s there in your quest to snag one of the limited parking spots in this lot for Flying Saucer and Five Guys, so here’s a friendly reminder to look up and appreciate it.
Where: 1121 Park St. in the Flying Saucer parking lot
The State file photo
8. “Other Side of the Tunnel”
This well-known mural was painted by artist Blue Sky in honor of AgFirst’s 75th anniversary. His other mural, “Tunnelvision,” is on on the old AgFirst Farm Credit Bank building. Yes, “Tunnelvision” is a bit flashier, but there’s something incredibly calming about a giant farm landscape in the middle of downtown.
