Client: Midway
Location: Houston, TX, United States
Completion date: 2023
Project Team
Curatorial and Project Management
Ady Avivi
Weingarten Art Group
Artist
Jose ‘Meenr’ Arredondo
Overview
“Rebirth” is a 60-ft monumental mural that depicts native flowers and plants bursting through a trompe l’oeil frame and in various stages of growth, from bud to full blossom. The plants and flowers featured in the mural can be found alongside the banks of Houston’s iconic Buffalo Bayou waterway, where this property is located, including the orange jubilee, white magnolia, autumn sage, and common gold star.
We partnered with Houston-based artist Jose Arredondo, known as Meenr, to create this mural for our longtime client Midway, who approached us for a mural centerpiece for their groundbreaking East River development on the banks of Buffalo Bayou. Midway was seeking a focal point for its 150-acre mixed-use development that integrated with its surroundings and resonated with the local community.
Inspired by the site’s industrial history and the remarkable resiliency of plant life that can grow and thrive even in the most urban spaces, Jose’s mural symbolizes the enduring strength of nature and continual cycles of renewal and growth. Just as flowers attract birds and pollinators, the mural draws viewers in with its unique perspective on the vibrancy of native plant life while nodding to the transformation of this industrial site into a new development.
Goals
At the heart of this project was the goal for a mural to complement East River’s design and enrich the experience of visitors and tenants alike with imagery connected to the local community by an artist who lives and works in the area. Jose grew up just 5 miles away from the site and currently lives and works in the neighborhood.
Process
Our approach started with an open call to artists in the Greater Houston region, inviting submission of qualifications and concepts for an 60’ x 30’ mural on a prominent and highly visible building at the entrance of the development. Jose’s design was selected from two finalists. He painted the mural in August 2023, boldly painting in the hot Texas sun.
Additional Information
Photography by Lawrence Knox.