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Arts Council narrows Nelson Hackett mural competition to four finalists
Summary
The Fayetteville Arts Council selected four finalists — Samuel Hale, Daisuke Okamoto, Jacob Schell and AJ Davis — for the Nelson Hackett mural call and named two council members to a selection subcommittee that will review final proposals with partner commissions.
The Fayetteville Arts Council on March (date not specified) narrowed its list of applicants for the Nelson Hackett mural call to four finalists: Samuel Hale, Daisuke Okamoto, Jacob Schell and AJ Davis.
The finalists selection follows a lengthy review of roughly 80 applications and an extended discussion about how chosen work should relate to existing murals and historical themes at the proposed site. Council members debated aesthetics, site-appropriateness, and whether new pieces should be figure‑based or more abstract.
Why it matters: the Nelson Hackett call is intended to place a site-specific mural in a visible corridor of Fayetteville. Council members said they wanted finalists who could respond thoughtfully to site history while contributing to a cohesive visual sequence with nearby murals.
Discussion highlights: - Several council members said they favored artists whose work demonstrated strong site research or an ability to use built walls—brick or architectural features—as compositional elements. Daisuke Okamoto and Waleed Johnson were specifically noted for using such details in examples shown. - Some members raised concerns about selecting multiple figure‑based proposals adjacent to one another; that concern shaped comments about balance among finalists. - Council members also discussed the value of including at least one finalist whose work would draw close viewing (detail, layered elements) in addition to murals that read strongly from moving vehicles.
Next steps and process: the Arts Council will forward the four finalists to a joint review process that includes the Historic Preservation Commission and other partner bodies. Two Arts Council members — Ellen Woodson and Jessica Dabari — volunteered to serve on the subcommittee that will meet with those partners to vet final proposals and recommend a primary artist(s) for commission. The subcommittee is expected to meet within roughly two weeks to prepare recommendations for the full council.
The council did not select final designs at this meeting; finalists were named for the next phase of review and proposal development.
Provenance: The council introduced the item as the “Nelson Hackett call and the finalist selection vote” during the agenda review. Later in the meeting members summarized the finalists and confirmed the next procedural steps.
