The City of Bloomington and the Graduate hotel collaborated with commercial art gallery The Library Street Collective and artist Nina Chanel Abney to create a new mural outside of the Graduate Bloomington Hotel.
Sara Nickelson, who has worked for the Library Street Collective for four years, said the mural drew inspiration from popular culture and the Bloomington community’s love for basketball. The mural infuses Abney's painting practice with her design sensibility which includes elements of color, shape and movement.
“Nina likes to leave things more open,” Nickelson said. “This allows people to reflect on the piece and draw their own individual conclusions about the piece.
The 1,342 square-foot mural was revealed on Jan. 24 in an event organized by city officials and Abney.
The Graduate Bloomington Hotel selected Abney based on the city's recommendation. Abney’s work has recently been featured at the Rocket Mortgage Field House where the Cavaliers play in Cleveland, Ohio.
Sean Starowitz, Bloomington's assistant director for the arts, said that to work with an artist like Abney, who leaves her work open to interpretation, is important to the city.
“We want everyone to feel like they can recognize themselves in our art collection." Starowitz said.
