Carlo Alberto's completed mural, "Hope for a Greener Future" (Photo by @superkant and @cyvisuals_, courtesy Street Art for Mankind)
Ten unique murals have been unveiled in Downtown Houston, geared around showing the need to increase walkability and improve the pedestrian experience in the nation’s fourth largest city. BIG ART. BIGGER CHANGE is an outdoor fine art exhibition that aims to promote sustainable development goals for Houston. The murals were created by 10 internationally-recognized street artists: Victor Ash, Sonny Sundancer, Lula Goce, Emily Ding, Case MaClaim, Carlos Alberto, Ana Marietta, Cristian Blanxer + Bimbo Adenugba and Belin. Three artists — Ding, Marietta and Adenugba — are based in Houston.
Each mural holds a particular theme based on the social ideals that Houston needs to improve on in the near future.
Ana Marietta showcases the power of coming together and sharing and bringing peace through a mural titled “Sharing the World.” Mexican street artist Carlos Alberto’s “Hope for a Greener Future” takes the dull and gray Houston landscape and turns it into a vibrant jungle of color and warmth. South African artist Sonny Sundancer brings the elegance of nature to life through his mural, which is themed around climate change.
The murals will remain up in Houston for at least a year.
The mural route stretches more than a mile long within the bustling Downtown area, beginning on Lamar Street and ending on Franklin Street. The murals were unveiled at Market Main Street Square in advance of All Access Art’s Downtown Block Party. People enjoyed live music alongside activities such as art cars, a photo booth, art market and a food truck alley. All located within a mile of the murals.
Funding for BIG ART. BIGGER CHANGE was made possible by Houston Downtown Management and TotalEnergies. It was also co-produced by Street Art for Mankind (SAM), a global nonprofit organization based in New York that attempts to influence social change through art.
Outdoor Dining with Bering's
“We hope Houstonians and visitors alike will appreciate the spectacular artistic merit of the Downtown murals, all of which are inclusive and positive pieces that we hope will bring the community together around an inspired vision for Houston,” SAM co-founders Audrey and Thibault Decker say in a statement.
This art exhibition is a new colorful must-see in Houston for any art lover, no matter their age. Learn more and check out the artworks in a mural guide here.
