Design
Richmond's Fledgling Street Art Scene
Artists redecorated a dead space between two vibrant sections of Richmond. But connectivity issues still keep visitors away.
Richmond's riverfront has seen a renewed focus from planners and developers over the past decade. But what may catch visitors' eyes first is its most recent enhancement, a collection of murals along a once dead space between Shockoe Bottom and Brown’s Island, two revitalized sections of the city.
A collection of international artists transformed the former hydro-electric plant on Brown’s Island and a neighboring flood wall as part of the Street Art Festival. "I wanted to try to do an actual festival that would revitalize a place that had been kind of a dead space and make it into a huge outdoor gallery," says organizer Ed Trask.