Block & Company, Inc., Realtors and SprayKC have announced phase two of the 5-story mural project on the Plaza Parkway Building located at 4620 Mill Creek Parkway in Kansas City, Mo.
Ten renowned muralists from around the country arrived on September 12 to paint portions of the south wall. The project is expected to conclude on September 26, the weekend of the Plaza Art Fair.
Phase 1 of the mural project launched in the fall of 2020 after the building was heavily vandalized during the George Floyd protests on the Country Club Plaza. Following the events, the building started receiving multiple complaints from both area residents and neighboring businesses.
Block & Company leases, manages and represents the ownership group involved with the Plaza Parkway Building and immediate action was taken to address the building's code violations.
David M. Block, president of Block & Company, Inc., Realtors, contacted the mayor's office to discuss a resolution for the property. Block proposed the idea of multiple murals with imagery that would represent family and cultural unity.
Mayor Quinton Lucas approved the proposal and connected David Block with Vince Sanders, founder of CBD American Shaman and SprayKC. Aside from his success in the CBD industry, Sanders is well-known for his philanthropic work in the arts community and his role as the founder of SprayKC -a Kansas City-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that organizes, creates and showcases public art throughout the metropolitan area.
With both David and Vince sharing the same passion for philanthropy and the arts in Kansas City, it was the perfect collaboration and the two began discussing how they could transform the vandalized Plaza Parkway Building into a symbol that promotes community, culture and the importance of family.
After completing phase 1, David and Vince agreed to a second phase that would cover the entire south wall of the building. SprayKC has since secured an incredibly talented lineup of artists to start on their designated portions of the wall.
Artists details:
Thomas "Detour" Evans - Denver, CO
Thomas Evans, a.k.a. Detour, is an all-around creative specializing in large-scale public art, interactive visuals, portraiture, immersive spaces and creative directing. His focus is to create work where art and innovation meet.
Tad & Jessica Carpenter - Kansas City, MO
Carpenter Collective is led by partners, Jessica and Tad Carpenter. The pair have been collaborating together since the day they met in design school over a dozen years ago. Since then, they've earned a national reputation for creating powerful brand experiences and unique visual storytelling with a whimsical wink.
Peat "Eyez" Wollaeger - St. Louis, MO
Kendall Rose & Anna Charney - Denver, CO
Kendall Rose and Anna Charney are a fantastic duo that documents geologic forces in nature through dramatic, abstract paintings and murals.
Meg Wagler - Springfield, MO
Meg Wagler is a midwest visual artist, illustrator and muralist known internationally for her colorful art and hand lettering. Her bold work is recognized for its bold palettes, striking compositions and messages of self-love.
Ally Grim - Denver, CO
Ally Grimm, aka A.L. Grime, is a Venezuelan-American artist, muralist and graphic designer based in Denver, CO. Her work explores the rise of the technological era through the lens of the human experience through bold, emotion-driven patterns.
Isaac Tapia & Rico Alvarez "IT-RA" - Kansas City, MO
IT-RA is a collaboration of Kansas City Muralist Isaac Tapia and Rodrigo Alvarez. The Duo began working together in the summer of 2017. Since then the artists have been commissioned to paint over 40 Murals in the KC metro area. Their diverse body of work is united by vibrant colors, evolving designs and themes that celebrate their communities and honor their identities as artists who migrated to the US at a very young age.
For more information about Phase 2 of the Plaza Parkway Building mural, contact Block & Company at (816) 753-6000 or email at info@blockandco.com