Bicentennial Mural Selection Survey

Vote!

In celebration of Ann Arbor's bicentennial, the city requested proposals for mural designs that recognize the past, present and future of our community. The Bicentennial Murals Committee has selected the top three choices and now invites residents to decide. The mural design receiving the most votes will be painted on the basketball court at Leslie Park and Southeast Area Park, which will be renamed Bicentennial Park this year. Please vote by June 28, 2024.

Each mural design is accompanied by a description submitted by the artist to convey the meaning of the artwork.

Question Title

* 1. Please check the box next to your favorite mural. Then, scroll down and click "done" to submit.

Artist Description by 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.

Artist Description by 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.

Artist Description by 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.