Putting ABQ on the (Mural) Map
Maddox & Co participates in new mural directory website
Albuquerque has been hiding a treasure in plain sight -- until now.
ABQ is quickly joining the ranks of cities with a collection of world class murals, or street art. Great public interest worldwide is being focused on this often misunderstood art form, and Albuquerque has an impressive collection to rival many larger cities. Yet even locals who are interested in murals aren’t aware of many of our finest works of art which are located outside their daily commute.
A new website is currently being designed and built by Studio Hill Design as a public service to assure that everyone can learn about and view our wealth of great street art. The website, called MurosABQ.com (muros is a Spanish term for “walls”), has images of most of Albuquerque’s murals on the home page. The site will launch July 9, 2018, and will contain a directory of Albuquerque’s best murals (with more being added continually). The concept for the site was dreamed up by Sandy Hill of Studio Hill Design, inspired by a visit to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a tour with Graffitimundo. Many cities realize the importance and value of their public art. Hill saw the opportunity to build a useful resource to get visibility for Albuquerque and to promote this local treasure to visitors and locals alike. Maddox & Co. Realtors and Garcia Cars stepped up to help fund the ambitious effort. Information and support for the website was provided by Downtown Albuquerque Arts & Cultural District, City of Albuquerque Public Art, 516 ARTS, Warehouse 508 and We Are This City.
According to Sandy Hill, “Albuquerque abounds with arts and culture, yet as a city, we seem to have an issue with low self image. There is a hesitation to really see, connect with, and celebrate the beauty all around us. This website is our contribution to help build local pride as well as showcase Albuquerque’s uniqueness to the rest of the world.”
The website has thumbnail images of most of Albuquerque’s murals on the home page. One click takes the viewer to full information on each mural, including title, background, artist bio, sponsor, address and Google map for location and directions. It is also possible to search by artist or by location on the overview map to locate nearby murals to visit.
A downloadable form is available on the website for submission of additional murals.
Future plans for Muros abq.com include ABQ Trolley mural tours, walking and biking tours, a self-guided tour app and a physical gallery to house artwork by the mural artists to help support Albuquerque’s creative community.
