In December I happened upon two murals (painted 2019, 2020) on vent shafts* above BioMed underground parking in the Canal District, Cambridge. Both extended my fascination with how artists can work creatively to include all sides and various functional features in their mural designs. The photos, links, and quotes here should help reveal what artists did to transform vent shafts into colorful, exciting works of art!
*Vent shafts (ventilation shafts) are vertical passages that move fresh air into underground spaces and remove stale air from those spaces.
Mural by Adam O’Day:
“A fantastical landscape by muralist Adam O’Day gets an unveiling Thursday in Canal District Kendall, bright camouflage for a vent shaft cover outside the Evoo restaurant.” (quote excerpt from Cambridge Day article, Sept. 2019 by Marc Levy)
“O’Day, of Abington … has been painting the three-story work for weeks, using ladders and even industrial scissor lifts to reach the upper parts of the vent shaft.”(quote excerpt from Cambridge Day article, Sept. 2019 by Marc Levy)
“Painted on a vent shaft cover outside of Evoo Restaurant, muralist Adam O’Day created a colorful, provocative art piece with vast, vibrant scenery and exquisite detail. ….. The Canal District Kendall is the latest neighborhood to serve as an uncommon canvas for his work.” ( Quote excerpt from Canal District Kendall Public Art )
Mural by Julia Roth and Cedric Douglas ( JULZROTH and VISE 1):
“The artists, Cedric Douglas and Julia Roth, were selected through a contest for muralists, winning the final prize of painting their mural on a vent shaft in the square.” (quote excerpt from “BioMed Realty unveils new mural in Kendall Square” 12/24/20 Wicked Local Cambridge)
“The competition asked artists to highlight Kendall Square’s culture, creativity and entrepreneurial energy through the theme of “so many call Cambridge home — how does the wealth of diversity in Cambridge enrich the community?” After being named the winners of the contest, Douglas and Roth chose to showcase two faces overlaid with brightly colored geometric patterns. (quote excerpt from “BioMed Realty unveils new mural in Kendall Square”, 12/24/20 Wicked Local Cambridge)
“In one section of the mural, a Black woman peers at the viewer. On the other side, a white woman gazes upward. Both have feminine features but short hair so as not to be “hyper-sexualized,” Douglas said. Neither is based on a real person. Their oval faces are interrupted by rainbow-colored diamonds that wrap around the structure.”(quote excerpt from “A new mural brings beauty and diversity to a ‘boring’ corner of Kendall Square” by Diti Kohli Boston Globe, Dec 29,2020)
Key Resources:
Adam J.O’Day website: murals https://www.adamjoday.com/murals
“Path to thinking of Kendall as an arts district gets new landmark Thursday: Mural by O’Day” by Marc Levy, Cambridge Day, 9//27/21
Artists called: Compete for $15,000 commission painting vent in BioMed’s Canal District Kendall Cambridge Day, August 2020
Canal District Kendall Public Art
“A new mural brings beauty and diversity to a ‘boring’ corner of Kendall Square” by Diti Kohli Boston Globe, Dec 2020
“BioMed Realty unveils new mural in Kendall Square” Wicked Local Cambridge, Dec. 2020
“A ‘public art proposal’ in Hull“ by Diti Kohli, Boston Globe 1/3/21)
The People’s Heart. Artwork, Black Madonna. VISE 1 and JulzRoth
Art Outdoors 
I like how you mentioned that a business can showcase what they are about with a mural as well as how a mural can motivate employees on a daily basis. I think that a business should try and capture their style and motto in a mural in order to properly motivate the workers. If everyone can get behind this then it would be even more effective at representing the business in a good way. Thanks for the list of benefits for having a mural in an office space.
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