Three new murals were recently installed in the stairwell at the METRO Blue Line's 30th Avenue Park & Ride (8101 Winstead Way, Bloomington). The murals are expected to remain up for a few years to determine whether permanent installations should be pursued at the site. Below, artists discuss their work and the importance of public art at this moment.
Megan Honigman
What was your creative process for producing this work?
This painting is titled “Longing” and was created in February 2020 as a response to the long, cold Minnesota winter we had just endured. I was longing for the warm and colorful days of spring that were still out of reach.
What emotion or idea would you like your audience to feel?
I rarely make resolutions for a new year but in January I decided that the theme I wanted to embrace for my art this year was “joy.” My goal with my work would be to elicit feelings of happiness and hope for the viewer on even the dreariest of days. Obviously, I had no idea at the time the immense challenges this year would bring and how much we would all need a daily dose of joy to get through.
Why is public art important within the Twin Cities in this moment?
Public art has always been important but during unprecedented times such as we are facing at the moment, it feels even more so. Seeing art in mundane settings or unexpected places has the ability to work as sort of a reset button for our brains. Passing through a stairway on your way to and from your car is typically forgettable. Seeing a giant piece of art in those same places sparks a sort of “Calgon moment” – taking us away from reality if even for just a few seconds.
Nicky Torkzadeh
What was your creative process for producing this work?
I like to play around with shapes, lines, patterns and colors to create an immersive experience for the viewer. My houseplant paintings are about the overlooked objects that recede into the background of our lives. During my long weeks of convalescence from chemotherapy treatment a couple years ago, I saw my indoor plants in a new light. These plants that could not survive Minnesota winters on their own are small wonders that we take for granted. I created these paintings as an ode to the beauty of the mundane houseplant. In my house, they have become dusty fixtures, but I have tried to recast them into dazzling compositions, a homecoming for the humdrum houseplant.
What emotion or idea would you like your audience to feel?
I would like people who see my houseplant paintings to slow down and feel peace and joy. My hope is that the cool, vibrant colors, the soft lines of the leaves, and the richness of the details draw viewers into the scene and impart a sense of repose and reflection.
Why is public art important within the Twin Cities in this moment?
We're bombarded with messages of every kind. So many of these are commercial and crass. I think it's important to have spaces carved out for beauty, wonder and contemplation. Public art can be a little oasis in the common spaces we all share.
Jesse Golfis
What was your creative process for producing this work?
This particular piece was a gift I made for a friend's birthday. I knew she loved the ocean and the conservation of turtles/sea turtles. This piece brought together the feelings of joy and happiness associated with sea turtles, as well as a splatter of red to show that their deaths are happening every day due to the changing currents in our oceans.
Why is public art important within the Twin Cities in this moment?
Now this is an important question. Public art is vitally important in this moment, when our political system seems to be on edge, racial inequality is plaguing our communities, and the growing divide between economic classes seems to be getting greater and greater. Art provides a medium for expressing and providing talking points for communities that are currently dealing with social unrest.
I will take it one step further and say that if you can create art, consider it a gift. Find ways in your community to share that gift with others that need help. My way of doing this is to lead by example, and to use my gift of painting to create signage for small minority-owned businesses in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. By creating these partnerships, we effectively strengthen our community and create better experiences for small businesses trying to get off the ground! This work is effective in helping our planet’s needs right now! I challenge you to find a way to do your part.