OSHKOSH, Wis. — Oshkosh is picking up the paintbrush in a big way. The city will soon have Wisconsin’s largest mural.
The 1,000-foot-long mural will be installed on the riverfront-facing back wall of the Cummins plant, which is located on High Avenue. It’s expected to pay tribute to the heritage of the area, community and the industry that surrounds it.
Muralist Mauricio Ramirez is the artist behind it. Wisconsinites might recognize him from his 55-foot Giannis Antetokounmpo mural in Milwaukee.
Fans take pictures of a mural of Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo painted on the side of a building Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
But he has murals across the U.S., including in Chicago, Minneapolis, Seattle and more.
As a Mexican-American with a background in street art, Ramirez said he sees murals as cultural expressions. To him, they are more than just decoration.
That’s why in Oshkosh, his mural will delve into the rich timber and aviation industries, the Oshkosh B-gosh brand, the legacy of Lewis Hine’s photography and some of the innovation happening inside Cummins.
“For me, murals are not just decoration—they are stories cast in color. In Oshkosh, I see many stories: from timber, to factories, to the hum of aviation and machines. My hope is that every walker, cyclist, or visitor on the Riverwalk will feel connected to the past, present, and future of this great place,” Ramirez said.
The project represents the first major investment in a new placemaking initiative started by Discover Oshkosh. The initiative aims to create “more dynamic public spaces” throughout the city through things like art.
That’s starting with the riverwalk.
“We often talk about the riverwalk as a mansion with no furniture,” said Discover Oshkosh Executive Director Amy Albright in a release. “With Mauricio’s vision, we are turning an industrial wall into a vibrant destination, motivating more people to use this asset we’ve invested in and making people feel pride in Oshkosh as they visit by boat or bike!”
Leaders hope it’s the start of a larger vision.
“We can only hope that this inspirational mural will spur further creative endeavors and partnerships along Oshkosh’s riverfront and throughout our entire community,” said Courtney Lasky, trustee of the JEK Foundation, a partner of the mural project.
Discover Oshkosh said the project is expected to be complete by the end of October. Passerby can watch the project unfold on the river or riverwalk.
The organization’s placemaking initiative will also include murals at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Kolf Sports Center, the 100 North Main building downtown and the Menominee Park Zoo.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source spectrumnews1.com ’
