Mural Adventures

I do a lot of adventuring based around murals. A. Lot.

It’s easy, fun, and there is usually something good to eat/do close by.

TIPS FOR MURAL ADVENTURES

Do I have tips for this? Do I? Sort of!

Depending on the city you live in or are visiting, there will be different ways to find and access murals. For example, in Edmonton we have a now defunct Instagram account and the content creator associated with it has a blog post.

I do have some tips for respectfully finding and accessing these spaces.

Get out of traffic! Y’all, many murals are in parking lots or on busy streets, that’s the reality of them. Safety first, and stay out of traffic.
Take your turn for photos. If there are other folks waiting to snap their own photos, get out of their shot and give them space. Offer to take a nice group shot of them as well, if the situation allows!
Pick up your garbage. This is common sense, but still needs saying! Murals live in people’s backyards, and you are a guest there. Keep the noise down, and clean up after yourself.
Buy local. Murals are often in places where either local businesses or business associations put extra money and want extra love. Shop there, spend your money there. Show them that their efforts weren’t wasted.

WHAT DO MURALS DO?

This is maybe a more complex question than this wee blog can tackle, but I wanted to dip my toes into gentrification.

Gentrification means “The social status of many residential areas is being ‘uplifted’ as the middle class—or the ‘gentry’—moved into working-class space, taking up residence, opening businesses, and lobbying for infrastructure improvements.” And if that type of money and access moved in, it forced out many other folks who can no longer afford the increased cost of living. I have included some links to articles at the bottom, if you’re looking to learn more about the connections between murals, street art and gentrification.

Murals can “bring new life” to an area, but what does that life look like? Who is included and who is removed? Who decides what art to make, and who gets to make it?

I also know of some street art in my city that is not for tourists or capitalists. This art is for the community workers and the street involved folks, and the unhoused who call this area home. I work near here, but I don’t have any photos. This art is powerful, political, and created by the folks who live here.

HOW TO FIND MURALS

Okay, my first and most basic idea is to do more active transportation. I have found so many murals by just walking and biking around. Keep that in mind if you can, if it is accessible to you.

Content creators or tourist organizations might have lists on their websites. Some will even have a map you can use! The same goes for mural festivals, which Edmonton has a few of.

And when all else fails, do a simple internet search with the keywords “murals in [your town]” or “mural festival [your city]”. You will probably have to sort through a bunch of crap, but this will bring up news articles about the unveiling of a new mural, those mural festivals, or perhaps some controversy in a gentrified or gentrifying area that you can learn about.

CONCLUSION

Murals are fun to explore! Whether you plan an outing around them, or accidentally cross paths with a colourful wall, take amoment to appreciate the colours, pattern, location, and artistry of each installation. Balance in your mind the unfortunate reality for many areas (and artists) who have been negatively altered by their existence if you can. Get real about the flow in your city space, interact, enjoy,

Murals are lovely and can lead complicated, impermanent lives.

Just like us.