Huntz Lui – “The End is Not Near”
Some of the most famous murals in the world are maintained and celebrated throughout history, but most are meant to be ephemeral. They exist only for a few months or weeks until the wall is repainted or the pigments simply give in to the elements. Mural artists often factor this limited shelf life into their compositions, drawing parallels between the temporality of their work with life itself.
The show Common Ground, recently on display at the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim, California, was centered around this concept. The museum rallied a group of local artists to paint large-scale murals directly on the gallery walls, turning the venue into a working studio. Now, the murals have disappeared, painted over by the artists themselves. The museum describes this as “the moment when murals shift from finished artwork to evolving history.”
The artists who made up Common Ground were Daniel Toledo, Huntz Lui, Crisselle, Allison Bamcat, Raymond Argumendo, GoopMassta, Daniel Carey, and Mr. B Baby. Tasked with exploring what brings the museum’s diverse community together through their art, they brought their wide array of techniques and visions. From abstract, geometrical art like Lui’s and Carey’s pieces to figurative tributes like Toledo’s Los Artistas Detrás de los Murales (The Artists Behind the Murals), the artworks engaged in a visual conversation within the shared space and with the viewing public.
Other standout works were Released by Mr. B Baby, whose eclectic mural mixes Mexican folk art with children’s books to spark a feeling of hope in the viewer. Meanwhile, Come Together and Come Apart by Crisselle turns to female figures to embody renewal and growth, and to evoke a sense of energy and strength. As for Allison Bamcat, her work Sword of Damocles featured an oarfish, a symbol of impending doom, to make a statement about using power wisely in the face of disaster.
The artists were joined by friends and members of the public in a closing event that brought the community together. The museum shards clips of the artists painting over the walls without an ounce of mourning; instead, the atmosphere was light and even lively. They can be seen smiling, dancing, and even jumping as they got the job done. While the works may be gone, the memory—and the message to care after one another—remains. “The transience is the point,” writes Muzeo Museum, “like the best street art, these murals live intensely and briefly, creating urgency around the act of witnessing.”
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For Common Ground, Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center rallied a group of local artists to create large-scale murals directly on the gallery walls.
Daniel Toledo – “Los Artistas Detrás de los Murales”
Crisselle – “Come Together and Come Apart”
Allison Bamcat – “Sword of Damocles”
Raymond Argumendo – “The Celestial Gathering”
GoopMassta – “Larger than Life”
Darel Carey – “Interwoven”
Mr. B Baby – “Released”
Muzeo Museum: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Muzeo Museum.
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