Bierce Library Murals
We were engaged by the University of Akron to provide a study-break collaborative mural experience for students during final exams week. This was an iterative and creative process intended to deliver a fun stress reliever where students could escape exams for a few minutes and leave their mark on something collective.
The process began with an approval of the proposal and a walkthrough of the library space to get an idea of where the mural panels could potentially be showcased. We designed concepts based on themes inspired by life in Akron and the spirit of the university. After refining the designs, we transferred the concepts onto panels using bold outlines, leaving white space for the students to add color and personality.
Staff and students voted on their favorite mural concepts, helping us finalize each design.
We created marketing materials for the University of Akron’s use to promote the event and encourage students to participate. The four mural panels were set up at the entrance of Bierce Library, right next to the Starbucks, so everyone could see them during final exams week. Over the next seven days, thousands of students poured through the library, coloring in and leaving a creative mark on the mural.
Art x Love supervised several collaborative work sessions over those days to coincide with library and university events. It was fun to see so many people proactively come back each day because of how much they enjoyed it.
After exam week, the four mural panels were brought back to Art x Love’s downtown Akron studio and gallery, where we restored the integrity of the original line drawing, filled in what few remaining blank spaces were left, and finished each panel with a marine-grade anti-graffiti coating.
The Bierce Library collaborative murals are installed on the first, second, and third floors of the library, where students and staff will easily be able to admire something they were all a part of.
