Painting the town

By Julie Winsel

In conjunction with the Downtown Visual Arts Festival, the 20X21 EUG Mural Project is again bringing in artists from around the world to transform walls around town into beautiful works of art.

“The 20×21 EUG Mural Project is an initiative of the City of Eugene Cultural Service’s Public Art Program to create 20 or more world-class outdoor murals in Eugene between now and the 2021 IAAF World Championships,” says Debbie Williamson Smith, Communications Manager at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art. “The project is led by a highly engaged committee representing collaboration across sectors including communications, law, architecture, small business, nonprofit and the arts. 20×21 aims to bring color and life to Eugene’s urban landscape to foster pride and contribute to a sense of identity. As the project grows, it will seek artist exchanges between Eugene artists and international cities.”

This year will feature seven artists, all hailing from different parts of the globe (biographical information provided by 20X21 EUG Mural Project).

Alexis Diaz (Puerto Rico)

Alexis Diaz is a painter and urban muralist known for his chimerical and dreamlike depictions of animals in a state of metamorphosis. Inhabited mostly by phantasmagorical animals, Diaz’s captivating murals are characterized by a detailed technique and line-by-line precision. Diaz’s signature style uses tiny black brushstrokes on white to render his creatures, making them look like highly detailed pen-and-ink drawings.

Alexis Diaz | Grizzlies Brand, 1061 W 2^nd Ave. | cargocollective.com

Bayne Gardner (US)

Bayne Gardner is a self-taught visual artist living and working in the Eugene-Springfield area. Lately, he has focused on painting public and private murals. Though he usually works solo, he has also directed numerous collaborative projects involving children in the painting process. Inspired by motion in nature, Gardner brings a lively and spontaneous energy to everything he paints.

Bayne Gardner | 13^th Ave. and Willamette St. | baynegardner.com

Kiran Maharjan “H11235” (Nepal)

Kiran Maharjan (H11235) is a street artist and muralist whose works revolve around the dual nature of mankind and of the artist. Maharjan completed his BFA degree from Kathmandu University Centre for Art and Design in 2014. His work can be seen in the different streets of Nepal and countries including Denmark, Finland, Cambodia, and India.

Kiran Maharjan “H11235” | NW Martial Arts, 755 Charnelton St. | facebook.com

AIKO (Japan/US)

AIKO was born and raised in Tokyo before moving to New York City in the mid-‘90s. She works in the studio as well as public spaces. She is acclaimed in the contemporary art world and well respected within the international graffiti and street art scene. Her large-scale works indoors and outdoors are installed in many cities, including Miami and New York City.

AIKO | Parcade Parking Garage, 7^th Ave. and Willamette St. | ladyaiko.com

Martha Cooper (US)

Martha Cooper is a documentary photographer who has specialized in shooting graffiti and street art for more than thirty five years. Her books include Subway Art, a collaboration with Henry Chalfant, R.I.P.: Memorial Wall Art, Hip Hop Files 1980-1984, We B*Girlz, Street Play, New York State of Mind, Tag Town, Going Postal, and Tokyo Tattoo 1970. She lives in Manhattan but can frequently be found at street art festivals worldwide.

Martha Cooper | Rising Moon Makers, 1331 Willamette St. | stevenkasher.com

Shamsia Hassani (Afghanistan)

Shamsia Hassani is a lecturer at Kabul University, the largest college in Afghanistan. She’s the country’s first female graffiti artist and, through her artwork, she portrays Afghan women in a male-dominant society. The woman character used in her artwork shows a person who is proud, loud, and can bring positive changes to people’s lives.

Shamisia Hassani | 2451 Willamette St. | shamsiahassani.com

WK Interact (France, US)

WK Interact, from France, has lived and worked in New York since the early ‘90s. WK is interested in the human body in motion and his paintings of figures frozen in a flight of movement reflect this. The artist’s unique process involves a technique of twisting an original drawing or photograph while it’s being photocopied, resulting in the monochromatic palette and streamlined moment-in-time appearance of his finished work.

WK Interact | First Christian Church, 1166 Oak St. | wkinteract.com

Read our article about last year’s murals here <eugenemagazine.com/feature-stories/mural-magic/>

Visual Arts Festival | July 25-August 3 | eugene-or.gov

Visual Arts Festival Kick-Off | July 27 | 5:30 pm | Hult Center Plaza, 1 Eugene Center | Free admission

20X21 Artists Reception | 6 pm | Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, 1430 Johnson Ln. | Free admission | jsma.uoregon.edu

Party in the Plaza: Northstar Dance Company | August 2 | 5:30 pm | Hult Center Plaza, 1 Eugene Center | Free admission

ARTiculate | August 2 | 6 pm | Soreng Theater, Hult Center, 1 Eugene Center | Free admission

Ongoing Visual Arts Festival events:

20X21 EUG Mural Project Eugene Walls| July 28-August 3 | 20x21eug.com

Bridge Exhibitions | July 25-August 3 | Hult Center Plaza to Willamette St. at 8^th Ave. | Free | eugene-or.gov

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