Public artist Steed Taylor creates 'world's longest' street mural in West Palm Beach
– Steed Taylor
Public artist and designer Steed Taylor has completed the largest continuous street mural in the world, spanning the full length of Downtown West Palm Beach in Florida.
The mile-long ‘road tattoo’ is called Genii Loci, or ‘the protective spirits of a place.’ Local people were invited to paint parts of the mural – which takes the form of interweaving three-colour Celtic knots and emphasises the power of community.
The north of the tattoo passes the Sunset Lounge – the city’s historic jazz venue – where icons such as Count Bassie and Ella Fitzgerald drew as many as 1,000 people a night. It has now been purchased by the city for renovation, with plans in place to build a music-oriented park on the site.
Genii Loci, which was created during the city’s recent West Palm Beach Art Affair festival, is projected to last three years, before it will fade as nature takes over.
According to Taylor, the “ephemeral” installation is an integral part of the reimagination of the city, which has invested in a number of experiential activations like Culture Lab, a former Macy’s turned immersive art hub with rotating artists, which showcases the evolution of retail spaces.
The artist, whose pieces have made an imprint on global roadways such as Broadway in New York City and First Line Ring Railway in Beijing, said: “This socially engaging mural explores humanity’s attachment to public spaces and invites locals to participate in its painting and physical creation as they mark their presence on the city’s artistic development.”
The project was developed in collaboration with the City of West Palm Beach, the City Redevelopment Agency and Art in Public Places.
“My road tattoos are commemorative, site-specific, community-based, tattoo-inspired, public artworks on roads. They are a result of my investigation into repurposing a common public space for art and a desire to bring socially engaging art to where people live.”
“If roads are considered the skin of a community, then a road has a similar relationship to the public body as skin does to the private body. As people mark their skin for commemoration, communication and ritual, then a road can be marked for the same reasons. Names or other information are written in the design, a nondenominational prayer commissioned for the piece is said and the names are painted over sealing them in the artwork.
“Beyond the miles of beaches and fun-in-the-sun ethos, Florida is abundant with unique ecosystems, waterways, flora, fauna, history and people not found anywhere else in our country. To allow these unique aspects of Florida to survive and thrive, individuals fought, petitioned, lobbied and worked to keep them this way. Genii Loci is Latin for the protective spirits of a place and it is these people we are honouring with this artwork. The names of people who have protected and supported the unique native character are included in the artwork.
“Located on Rosemary Avenue from Okeechobee Boulevard to 8th Street, Genii Loci is a mile in length. Keeping with the idea of this artwork, we have painted a stylised combination of local native flora, braided lines emphasising the power of community, and music notations for the jazz standard Round Midnight as a nod to the Sunset Lounge and the unique history it represents and its continued relevance.”
'The public respects civic spaces': Brad Golden on how Toronto's expanded subway stations merge joyful art with architecture
Public creativity crucial for cities, argues Urban Art Projects founder after Ai Weiwei collaboration in New York
RIBA opens Pezo von Ellrichshausen and Felice Varini's immense installation for Hull City of Culture
Street artist Phlegm creates eight-storey mural in Toronto as public art meets placemaking
Towering aliens will take to streets of Toronto as developers push public art for placemaking
BIG unveils Eve Music Hall as Croatia venue nears completion
Bob Rogers hands BRC to long-serving leadership team
Wellness care hospital opens in Vilnius with innovative spa and hospitality concept
Universal and Puy du Fou projects point to rise of Oxford–Cambridge corridor
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’ planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor into a major centre for UK leisure and tourism investment.
For years, the corridor has been associated primarily with science, technology, housing and university-led economic growth. However, the clustering of large-scale visitor attraction projects along the
All-inclusive eco-wellness development Auko to open near Vietnam’s Son Doong caves
Shedd Aquarium upgrades its visitor experience with new Immersion Theater
Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional revenue opportunities.
The attraction has transformed the aquarium’s Phelps Auditorium into a multi-sensory venue combining panoramic projection, environmental effects and interactive technology.
A new pre-show area allows visitors to engage with augmented reality marine animals before entering the
Mandarin Oriental announces standalone Mansions-branded residences for Abu Dhabi
MCR is planning a luxury hotel for London's BT Tower
Joy as a radical act: Yinka Ilori launches solo exhibition celebrating the rebellious power of spreading happiness
Work gets underway on Madrid's €800 million leisure complex
Work is underway in Madrid on one of Europe’s most significant multi-functional complexes, combining sport, entertainment, culture and education.
The €800 million initiative to regenerate the former Olympic Aquatic Centre in the north-east of the city, next to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium, is being led by Barsento – a joint venture between Live Nation Entertainment, Oak View Group and Atlético de Madrid. The project will
Therme Manchester reveals 90:90 strategy – 90 per cent of the UK population within a 90-minute drive of a Therme
Four Seasons’ Naples Beach Club opens 2,800sq m Sanctuary spa inspired by indigenous Calusa people
Orient Express Corinthian to host Ocean Rebirth wellness retreat in collaboration with Guerlain
Famed London nightclub, Tramp, launches Tramp Health
First look: Miraval opens on the Red Sea in Saudi Arabia
Hainan Science Museum by Ma Yansong, opens in China
A new science museum has opened to the public in Haikou after attracting more than 350,000 visitors during a four-month soft opening period.
Designed by Ma Yansong and his practice MAD Architects, the Hainan Science Museum is located on the edge of Wuyuan River National Wetland Park and has already recorded peak attendance of more than 5,800 visitors in a single day.
Commissioned by
Zannier Île De Bendor launches with design by Hardel Le Bihan Architectes
Sæl Spa readies for launch in London: “a modern British sanctuary”
Immersive art bathhouse Submersive announces debut location in Austin
Construction begins on regenerative wellness destination The Shenandoah Nature Resort
Royal Caribbean reveals record-breaking cruise ship
V&A East opens in London
David Geffen galleries open at LACMA
New venue The Lands by Capella includes a longevity centre to complement sister hotel Capella Sydney
World of Frozen launches at Disneyland Paris
Pical Resort by Valamar reveals first Croatian spa under the ESPA brand
Mandarin Oriental creates end-to-end Egyptian journey with two new hotels and first-ever luxury river cruise
Designers Mendil + Meyer launch new division called Lām Concepts for strategic wellness projects
Wilderness Bisate in Rwanda reveals brand’s second Sanctuary spa
4a Architekten shares details of wellness extension at Salinarium Bad Dürkheim Thermal Spa
