Fort Industry - Toledo
Mural for the Parks Department building at Ketcham and I-280 in Toledo, Ohio. June 2015, Commissioned by the Toledo Arts Commission.
The design for the I-280 Mural project is an updated version of dazzle camouflage, used to disguise ships in World War 2. This irregular patterning, effective at integrating the irregularities and mixed materials of the building, is also flexible enough to incorporate visual references from a variety of sources.
The original painting used to build the pattern combines elements of systems from the Bauhaus school with historic Native American decorative motifs from the Ohio Valley. The design gives a nod to close ties between Toledo and European industrial production, but is built on the visual architecture of pre-European traditions. The contemporary palette was chosen to acknowledge digital culture, Toledo’s vibrant mural scene and to distinguish it from nearby highway advertising. Toledo has a world-class museum, is an important player in global manufacturing, yet it’s citizens are unpretentious. My goal is to embody this mix of friendliness and worldliness in the design, to reflect the spirit of the city to its inhabitants and for those passing through.
Daily documentation of project here
Toledo Arts Commission documentation here
Toledo Blade article here