Over the past several months of social distancing, murals have become one of the safest and most accessible ways to appreciate the creativity of artists in Dallas. The public artworks are free, outside, and open 24/7. If you’re not quite ready to deal with the risk that comes with visiting a museum or a gallery, taking a tour of murals might give you the art fix you’ve been craving.
Better yet, new murals have been popping up all over town lately. One of the latest paintings to catch our eye is a stone’s throw away from the D Magazine offices in the Dallas Arts District, and it’s a good addition to our recent walking art tour of the neighborhood. The piece is by Ben Reynolds and you can find it on the side of Roti at Ross Ave. and Olive St.
The 18-by-47-foot mural is a monochromatic tangle of intricate patterns and symbols. Reynolds often works in this style, reminiscent of iconic artists like Keith Haring and Retna. He’s applied his signature patterns to sneakers, skateboards, canvases, and another mural at 3000 Elm Street in Deep Ellum.
In the Arts District, the scale of the mural allows the dizzying black-and-white patterns to take on a life of their own, the lines swirling and twisting and tricking the eye.
The painting gives a much-needed dose of personality to the tidy new development, as well as providing a new photo backdrop. Check it out next time you’re downtown.
