A hummingbird and a Mexican salamander, the axolotl, are outlined in black against pastel pinks and blues. A Black woman with an Afro is surrounded by flowers and a rainbow. An Indigenous woman dressed in traditional garments is set against a backdrop of stones and shells. These murals decorate the exterior of the Madison Public Market, which is expected to open this spring.
Madison has a list of artists who can be tapped when a public project needs art, says Karin Wolf, city of Madison arts program administrator. Wolf’s office acted as a liaison between the artists and the market; funding came from private sources.
Community response has been “overwhelmingly positive,” says Wolf, though a few felt the city was pushing a “diversity agenda” and others have wondered what the murals have to do with food…