Over the past few weeks I’ve noticed that several businesses have spruced up exterior walls with murals. Wall art generally isn’t a new trend. D.C. saw several Shepard Fairey Obama portraits last year and there are other random murals all over the city (e.g. alley by Logan Hardware, the cowboy in Adams Morgan, Alice in Wonderland Wizard of Oz on P St., guys putting up wallpaper on 14th St.). I’m sure there are dozens that I have never even seen. But the new murals seem to be business-related, rather than works of art separate from the store or restaurant inside. I can’t think of other murals like these, except the Madam’s Organ Mural (a classic).
For example, la Madeleine, on 30th and M St. in Georgetown, recently added this:
Here’s the north exterior wall of Luigi’s Restaurant, on 19th St. between L and M:
City Dogs on 18th St. near T added this little guy (dreaming of dog bones and fire hydrants?):
I have really been enjoying the wall art. The murals are well done and it’s fun walking around and noticing new art popping up in unexpected places. The murals express a certain playfulness. Or, as la Madeleine puts it, a certain:
I spotted this heart art on the side of Plum Blossom today, on 18th St. between T and Florida. Like a little valentine to the District! Awww.
