Community Input Requested For The Oracles Of Iowa City Mural Installation

Press release from the City of Iowa City:

March 18, 2021

In July 2020, the Iowa City Public Art Advisory Committee recommended that the Iowa City City Council proceed with a proposal for a mural reminding the community and its visitors of the systemic oppression of Black people. This recommendation and resolution aimed at strengthening social justice and racial equity efforts and urged accountability on the part of the community to dismantle systemic racism in Iowa City.

The mural, coordinated by Public Space One and the Center for Afrofuturist Studies (a community arts organization and residency program for artists of color in Iowa City), is expected to encompass the two – five story stair towers of the parking ramp that face Burlington Street just west of Clinton Street in Downtown Iowa City.

Antoine Williams and Donté K. Hayes, artists working with the Center for Afrofuturist Studies, have combined their talents and held conversations with local Black community members on designing the mural and now ask for your input. The project includes not only the creation of the mural, but a comprehensive pathway for an ongoing process: fellowships provided to local Black artists, community and artist interviews and conversations around the project, and release of a web-based, multi-media documentary and celebration after the mural's completion.

Funding for the $42,500 project has been provided through the Iowa City Public Art Program and the University of Iowa Office of the Vice President of Research.

The survey can be found on the Public Space One website at http://www.publicspaceone.com/oracles-ic-survey.

This press release was produced by the City of Iowa City. The views expressed here are the author’s own.