Courtesy of COCA
Since late April, St. Louis artist Cbabi Bayoc has been gathering with Carr Square residents to execute the Murphy Park Public Art Project. This 12-week initiative is focused on transforming the park into a more inviting space—by the community and for the community.
After being subcontracted by the Community Based Crime Reduction strategy in the Columbus and Carr Square neighborhoods, COCA hired Bayoc to create a mural as part of the effort. Much of Bayoc's previous art has focused on and celebrated children and families, making Bayoc an excellent fit to lead the project. The goal for the initiative is, largely, to reclaim the park for family use.
“We’re trying bring up the area around the playground,” says Bayoc. “Right now it’s kind of dark and shadowed. We’re going to put some positive words around the playground itself using polymetal in bright colors.”
Courtesy of COCA
Volunteers meet every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, sometimes at Transfiguration Lutheran Church (1807 Biddle) to plan and to practice, and other times at Murphy Park to create the art and to clean up the park. The number of volunteers changes from week to week, with the project sometimes drawing in as few as four participants and other times up to a dozen. Art experience varies among them, but Bayoc is proactive in engaging different skill levels. He encourages volunteers to participate freely without worrying about the finished project.
“He’s really brilliant at breaking down figure drawing to rudimentary shapes,” says Shawna Flanigan, director of arts education at COCA. “We knew we wanted the community members to paint the mural. He’s wonderful at teaching that skill.”
Courtesy of COCA
If he can gain approval, Bayoc will also be transforming a lavatory building across the street by painting children onto the walls and adding cut-outs of homes and high-rise buildings.
“It’s all done playfully,” says Bayoc. “It says to children, ‘This is your space.’”
Courtesy of COCA
While the project is aimed at Carr Square residents, anyone is welcome to participate. Those who are interested in joining can call COCA patron services specialist Stephanie Benware at 314-561-4898 to sign up.
“Anyone who comes by can pick up a paintbrush and contribute,” says Flanigan.
The final installation and unveiling is scheduled for August 11, which coincides with the local back-to-school effort at Jefferson Elementary nearby Murphy Park. Once the project is complete, local children will have a more colorful, more welcoming place to play in the coming year.
Adds Bayoc, “Going off the words of some of the folks that work with us who actually live there: They just want it to feel a little lighter.”
Courtesy of COCA
