Guinness World Record May Break By 100-artist SJ Mural Project

SAN JOSE, CA -- One hundred painters have converged on a wall in San Jose's downtown art district to transform it into an ambitious, colorful testament to the region's art scene.

Local arts nonprofit Exhibition District is overseeing the 100BlockSJ project at 300 First St., across the street from the California Theatre. Painting began a few weeks ago and artists are readying for an unveiling on March 1, if weather permits.

"Public art is the most accessible form of art, because it exists in everybody's realm," executive director Erin Salazar said, standing in front of the mural on Thursday. "I think there's something really beautiful about not having to walk into a gallery ... the art it just exists for everybody."

Along with preventing graffiti -- the organization has only spent $20 on graffiti abatement at several mural locations since 2015 -- the mural also hopes to establish a visual identity for San Jose.

"Once we put up a large piece of public art, it's showing that the place is cared for and loved," operations director Ellina Yin said. "We call it a vandalism deterrent, not a repellant."

With about half the wall completed this week, artists were standing on risers and perfecting their 3 feet by 3 feet personal canvases, teaming up to create the expansive, 900-square-foot mural.

The artists are required to comply with general decency guidelines preventing graphic nudity and profanity, but are otherwise allowed a free range of expression. Completed murals include portraits, depictions of community activism and abstract paintings.

Yin said about 90 percent of artists are local, with 40 percent identifying as female, 50 percent as male and 20 percent as non-binary. The artists are anywhere from 18 to 50 years old, and include screen printers, former graffiti artists and art teachers, as well as those who are doing a mural for the first time. It's important to the group to pay their artists, and each will receive $300 in addition to material and equipment costs.

"That means that we're dumping $30,000 directly into our artist community in the next two weeks, we feel really proud of that," said Salazar, who wishes they could include more artists, but funds are limited. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is sponsoring 100BlockSJ, along with material donors.

Once it's completed, the project will be a Guinness World Record for collaborative murals, according to organizers.

Salazar and Yin said coordinating the ambitious mural has been a "logistical nightmare," but also a "delightful learning experience." Part-time employee Haley Cardamon also helped with the work, and together the three make up an all-women team hoping to leave a mark in the city's public art sphere.

"We're developing a community through the process of mural-making," Salazar said. "Simply the act of activating and engaging with the community is a draw, and there's an automatic feeling of community when people are outside in the sunshine."

--Bay City News