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AJ Davis mural approved for Sheridan Walker parking garage; commission asks for annual condition reviews
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Summary
The Oklahoma City Arts Commission voted to forward a proposal for a new mural by AJ Davis to the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority and the Downtown Design Commission, with a requirement that the artist or staff perform condition evaluations annually for at least five years.
The Oklahoma City Arts Commission voted June 16 to recommend a public art commission agreement with artist AJ Davis for a new mural at the Sheridan Walker parking garage and to seek a certificate of approval from the Downtown Design Commission.
Robbie Jones, special projects manager for Arts and Cultural Affairs, told the commission the selection followed a January 29, 2025, request for qualifications and a committee process after the prior mural was recommended for removal in July 2024 because of deterioration. "Item 3 a is for a new mural to replace the existing mural at the Sheridan Walker parking garage," Jones said. He described the proposed work, titled Symphony of Bloom, as a field of roses, chrysanthemums, tulips, dahlias, Indian paintbrush and other species woven into a visual journey representing "growth, resilience, cycles, and the vital bonds between the Oklahoma City community, nature, urban development, and sustainability."
The commission discussed preservation and future maintenance. Jones said the artist and staff learned from the earlier mural's deterioration and recommended including a clause in the agreement for annual condition evaluations and maintenance recommendations for at least the first five years. Commissioner Cooper suggested the artist consider incorporating the state rose, a deep red Oklahoma rose, into the design in areas with less direct sunlight so color fading would be less problematic. "The state rose of Oklahoma is the Oklahoma rose, which is a deep red rose," Cooper said.
Commissioner Snelling asked that the commission retain the mural's original document so the image could be used later for augmented-reality projects. Jones said the artist had proposed an AR element but that any ongoing subscription or annual fee for AR would be up to the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority (COTPA) to approve and pay. Corey Hubert, parking services manager for the city (Embark), said staff supported the selection and regretted that winter weather had accelerated deterioration of the prior mural: "It's unfortunate that weather did not allow us to maintain the other one."
The packet included three budget scenarios for the mural; Jones and staff described "scenario 1" as full top-to-bottom coverage of the wall, which is the version advancing to COTPA and Downtown Design Commission. Commissioners asked staff to relay color and AR-storage requests to the artist; Jones said staff would do so and include the annual evaluation requirement in the agreement.
A motion and second to forward the recommendation passed; the meeting record shows the motion passed but does not list a roll-call tally. The recommendation will next be considered by the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority and the Downtown Design Commission, and any final execution of a public art commission agreement will be contingent on those approvals.
Background: the selection committee reviewed three finalists after an RFQ posted Jan. 29, 2025; AJ Davis, a Denver-based muralist and digital designer, was chosen. The proposed mural includes two prominent floral designs that wrap into upper and lower levels of the garage, plus ground-floor engagement elements intended for public interaction.
