ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The City of Ann Arbor is asking locals to decide what should be painted on the basketball courts at Leslie Park and the newly renamed Bicentennial Park.
In April, the city put out a call for mural designs from area artists. The Bicentennial Murals Committee narrowed down the choices and needs residents to vote among the top three.
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Artists were asked to create murals reflecting on the city’s past, present, and potential future.
Residents have until Friday to vote for their favorite.
Here’s what the artists say about their designs:
David MacLaren
“Ann Arbor’s vibrancy weaves together a beautiful mix of city life, diversity, and the natural environment with which it is embedded. The University is at the heart of the city, and nested within is a countless number of parks, nature preserves, and wildlife. The color scheme and rigidity of the dots hint at these two sides: nature and city. The upper dots mimic a city skyline and bright lights and the lower dots are blue and fluid like the Huron River.”
Mathew Sharum
“In the past, Ann Arbor really blossomed as an Agricultural Trading Centre with the arrival of the Michigan Central Railroad in 1839 and the falling leaves represent the ever present and enduring trees of Treetown. In the “Present” section are the dual skylines: the city is lively both night and day. The “Future” section illustrates the amazing work Mott Children’s Hospital does by using the chemical structures of chemotherapy drugs used in the treatment of Childhood Leukemia. The future of education is shown with the transition from book learning to a more digital presence of knowledge.”
Amanda Humphrey and Joe Trumpey
“The design depicts the Huron river and burr oaks in the foreground, echoing features of the bicentennial logo. The background depicts a stylized skyline featuring centers of art, culture, education, and residential life in Ann Arbor. The abstract river represents how our city has changed through time, and its colorful facets as we move into the future.”
Once a design is chosen, it will be installed over the summer and community members can join in the painting process.
Learn more about the murals here.