Recap in Photos: Globeville Mural Project (Jolt + ArtLab) Summer 2013
On Sunday, August 11, 2013, two new additions to Denver’s eclectic public art scene were officially unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the mural site. The murals, adorning the 46th Ave. and Lincoln St. underpass, were completed over the summer by muralist Jeremy Silas Ulibarri—also known as “Jolt”—of Guerilla Garden, youth in PlatteForum’s ArtLab program, and artist Anthony Garcia of Birdseed Collective. The murals have special meaning for Jolt, Garcia, and several ArtLab youth—who all grew up in Globeville.District 9 City Councilwoman Judy Montero, who represents the Globeville community, remarked, “These new murals—created by young artists from Globeville—show slices of history, life and culture in Denver specific to Globeville. The murals are helping create the sense of place that so many people feel in the Globeville neighborhood and bring out the originality and tenacity that both the artists and the neighborhood share.”The large-scale professional murals were completed at the end of July. Garcia and his team created the mural on the south pillar of the underpass, while Jolt and ArtLab youth created the mural on the north pillar. ArtLab youth spent the early part of the summer researching Globeville’s history and hosting community meetings to plan and conceptualize the mural in a way that honors the historic neighborhood; this marks the first time ArtLab youth have participated in the creation of permanent piece of public art of this magnitude.During the process, numerous Denver residents visited the site to watch the mural creation in progress, participated in community interviews conducted by PlatteForum youth, and discussed various interpretations of what the murals depict.“The outpouring of interest and support while we were on site painting was incredible,” said Judy Anderson, PlatteForum’s artistic director and founder, “While the kids were on site painting with Jolt, people came and went and took part in a BBQ organized by the wonderful Anthony and Isabel Rojas who live adjacent to the mural site. When they weren’t painting, the kids talked with residents about the mural and what it means to them. Globeville has such a rich history, and the community has been absolutely fantastic and inspiring throughout this process.”The ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the murals was planned to coincide with Mayor Hancock’s Denver Days. Following a ceremony at the mural sites, a reception took place at Street Kidz, followed by additional festivities Crash 45 in Globeville.The mural project was supported by Denver’s Urban Art Fund, City Councilwoman Judy Montero’s office, Swinerton Builders, and Procoat Systems.
About PlatteForumPlatteForum is an award-winning and innovative arts, youth-development, and artist-in-residence program in Denver that teams underserved urban youth (K-12) with contemporary master artists in intensive, structured, and long-term creative learning environments. Youth work side by side with resident artists to collaboratively plan, produce, and exhibit a body of work in an environment in which artistic excellence is highly valued. Youth in PlatteForum’s programs delve into a variety of art forms, confronting challenges and obstacles and making life-changing discoveries about who they are, what they are capable of achieving, and where they belong in the world. PlatteForum.orgAbout Guerilla GardenJeremy Silas Ulibarri (a.k.a. Jolt) founded Guerilla Garden, and his mission statement was simple: to build a creative space where local artists could collaborate with one another. Guerilla Garden has become one of Denver’s premier creative venues, and Jolt leads a team of Denver’s most-talented young innovators. Guerilla Garden artists represent the very best in graphic design, painting, printmaking, sculpture, and filmmaking. A collaborative approach to creative problem solving is what sets Guerilla Garden apart from its peers. GuerillaGarden.comAbout Birdseed CollectiveIn 2010, Anthony Garcia Jr. and Michael Broberg co-founded BirdSeed Collective to create a place for local artists and youth to showcase their talents by being part of an art collective that promotes urban art and self-sufficiency through art workmanship. Birdseed Collective recently added an inner-city youth art program in youth go from “concrete to canvas” at Street Kidz youth center in Globeville. With Garcia as the helm, Birdseed Collective has been successful in providing a platform for up-and-coming artists and completed over 65 exhibitions in 2012. Birdseed Collective supports all artistic genres and takes part in various projects that include art commissions, murals, music, fashion design, and silk screening. BirdseedCollective.com
