Tacoma Murals Part 1: Fading Histories
Ever since people have had the ability to paint, and a surface on which to apply that paint, they have surrounded themselves with art. It was only a matter of time before paintings began finding themselves on the walls of public buildings, which happened almost immediately. Murals date back thousands of years, with artists and communities collaborating to document history, tell stories, and generally lend some beauty to cities' landscapes, which too frequently favor function over form. Murals have served as essential tools for revolutions, paid tribute to fallen heroes, and commemorated momentous passages in time.
We're lucky, in Tacoma, to have had a healthy history of people caring enough about their city to put paint to brick and leave their mark for generations to see. Tacoma's decorated with so many gorgeous murals, frequently taking advantage of the natural beauty to be found in our little neck of the woods, from the vibrant wildlife to the stunning vistas. On a stroll through any given part of town, you're likely to get a look at any number walls that have been turned into works of captivating art. These little touches lend so much nuance to Tacoma, and we love the way they pepper our home with pops of color.
Sad as it is to say, though, our murals – by their nature – are left exposed to the elements, surviving season after season of Pacific Northwest rain and the occasional spots of sun. Tacoma's has several murals that are gradually fading away, having endured years of weather and a changing city growing up around their feet. Like an old oak tree, a mural's age is easily identifiable – cracks beginning to show, colors disappearing back into the surface, leaving behind a ghostly image that will eventually vanish completely. Some murals are tended to, from time to time, getting the occasional restoration, but these are big projects that aren't always easy for the city to prioritize.
Downtown Tacoma is home to a number of striking murals that are gradually fading away. In addition to the many “ghost signs” – the name given to the decades-old ads that eerily decorate many of the walls downtown – the walls of downtown have steadily filled up with art over the years, particularly in the central hub between S. 9th and 11th St. Even some of the relatively new murals, though, have begun to fade, such as the “Washington Whales” on S. 9th and A. This enormous piece of art – dedicated in 1990 – is 120 feet long and 45 feet high, showing off a pod of orcas playing, with Mt. Rainier glistening in the background. It's also just one of the 100 around the globe painted by the mononymous artist Wyland, who delights in depicting aquatic life on gigantic canvasses. Wyland calls these murals his Whaling Walls , which is either one of the best or worst puns in the arts world.
Up on Hilltop, a portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. sits, appropriately, on S. 9th and MLK Jr. Way. Designed and painted by Bob Henry in 2004, the mural (titled “A Dream Coming True”) depicts King surrounded by a vibrant representation of Tacoma's multiculturalism. Just down the road, on S. 11th and MLK, sits another Henry mural depicting four African American leaders who were incredibly vital to the spiritual and civic growth of the Hilltop community: Alberta J. Canada, Earnest S. Brazill, Frank Russell, and Virginia Taylor. Just as all four of these important figures have passed on, this tribute to their memory may also not be long for this world. The building that sports this mural has sat dormant for several years, and recently has been surrounded by a chain link fence, a telltale omen that construction may be in the future.
As more and more people and money flood into Tacoma, the landscape is quickly changing. The Hilltop neighborhood that Canada, Russell, Taylor, and Brazill dedicated themselves to fostering is transforming into something new and altogether different – something perhaps shiny and modern, but also less welcoming to the community and families that called have called Hilltop home for so many years. Their mural, like so many others, is fading away, and with it a certain essence of a bygone era, of a neighborhood being ushered away from its past.
In part two of our exploration of Tacoma's murals, we'll look at the newer works of art that are helping to keep the city's history and communities alive.
