By William Lutz
Civic Capacity
TROY — Earlier this year, the Troy Planning Commission approved the placement of an 11-foot by 17-foot mural at the building at 2 S. Market St., facing north towards the Public Square. The artwork was designed to promote the April 8 Solar Eclipse and seemed to be very popular, as evidenced by scores of social media photographs that used the mural as a backdrop. Following up on the success of the Solar Eclipse Mural, Troy Main Street gained approval for a new “selfie” mural to be installed to replace the current artwork.
Generally, murals are large pieces of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling, or other permanent surfaces. It’s a form of visual art that is sometimes integrated into the architecture of the space. Murals have a long history, with origins in ancient times, serving various purposes such as communication, storytelling, decoration, and expression of social and political messages. They are designed to be seen by a wide audience and often reflect cultural or community values.
These new murals, are better described as a “selfie mural.” A “selfie mural,” on the other hand, is a modern twist on traditional murals. It’s specifically designed to serve as a backdrop for selfies and photographs. These murals are often located in public or semi-public spaces and are created with the intention of being visually appealing or interactive, encouraging people to take photos of themselves with the artwork. Selfie murals might incorporate vibrant colors, bold patterns, or 3D elements to create engaging and photogenic scenes. They have gained popularity with the rise of social media, as people look for unique and interesting backgrounds for their photos.
The new mural is 11-foot by 11-foot in size and, like the previous mural, is actually a set of very large vinyl stickers. This smaller mural is expected to be in place until 2029. Troy Main Street will be responsible for the upkeep of the mural. The above picture is a rendering of the new selfie mural that should be up before the end of April.
What are your thoughts on the new selfie mural? Is it visually attractive? Does it capture the spirit of our community? Will you take a picture of it? Will you have your picture taken with it? Those who have thoughts are encouraged to leave ideas and insights in the comment section of this article on the Civic Capacity Newsletter at https://www.civiccapacity.com/
The writer is creator of the Civic Capacity newsletter and is also the executive director of The New Path, Inc, one of the county’s largest nonprofit organizations. Civic Capacity is available at https://www.civiccapacity.com/
