Client: Avenidas Senior Center

Overview

A 16.5 x 10.5ft wall-piece for the entry lobby of a new expansion/addition to the existing Avenidas Senior Center building. The mural reuses pine planks removed from the roof of the old Avenidas building, and its abstract design suggests both a vibrant energy, and themes of connection and growth.

Goals

The goals of the piece were to make a stand-alone art piece that would make a bold uplifting visual and conceptual statement whilst integrating well with all the design elements of the building. The piece occupies a tall shallow space and so had to work well viewed closely at an upward angle, but it also had to work when viewed as one approaches the glass facade of the entry.

Process

The architectural space existed in plan form when I first started planning the commission, so from that an initial physical format for the art was established. In conjunction with The City's Art in Public Places team I consulted with a group of the center's users to get their input and a greater understanding of what the center means to them. I was always planning on using reclaimed wood for the piece, but then the possibility of using timbers salvaged from the demolition of a section of the old Avenidas building came up which really enhanced the conceptual aspect of the piece.