Release Date: Oct 12, 2021

Winning Artist, Lisa Marie Thalhammer, Selected as Part of National Landing Business Improvement District's (BID) Public Art Competition to Create a Mural at Crystal City Metro Plaza

Signature chromatic design by popular DC artist will welcome visitors and commuters to a vibrant downtown National Landing

ARLINGTON, VA – [October 12, 2021] –– The National Landing Business Improvement District (BID) today named DC artist Lisa Marie Thalhammer as the winner of its public art design challenge to create a reimagined wall mural in the Crystal City Metro Plaza. Sponsored by the BID, this initiative advances the organization’s efforts to position National Landing as a vibrant destination with an enlivened streetscape featuring compelling activations and public art installations.

Chosen unanimously from more than 30 submissions by the BID’s public art selection committee comprised of business, government and community stakeholders, Thalhammer will implement her mural on the metro plaza’s expansive west wall, measuring approximately 115 feet in length and 20 feet in height.

“I want to personally congratulate Lisa Marie on her winning design, which I’m excited to see come to life in National Landing this fall,” said Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, President and Executive Director of the National Landing BID. “As part of the BID’s ongoing mission to upgrade and activate public spaces in our community, we are hopeful that this project will make people feel welcome as they return to riding transit, while providing them with an impactful and attractive arrival into National Landing.”

The proposed mural in National Landing will feature Thalhammer’s signature usage of the harmonious color spectrum, with a 25-color concept which specifically aims to calm the nervous system and inspire a sense of joy and wonderment for viewers.

“Inspired by explorations of subtle energy, my newest mural design entitled “Harmonize” infuses the landscape with a spectrum of color, producing a pleasing meditative energy that embraces commuters in a hug of color,” said DC artist Lisa Marie Thalhammer.

Thalhammer is an award-winning visual artist, who exhibits fine artwork and paints large-scale public art murals in Washington, D.C., where she lives, in addition to other locations nationally and internationally. Known for her iconic 13-color rainbow “LOVE” mural located in Washington’s Blagden Alley, she looks to create paintings, portraits and public murals that uplift and empower. As a feminist activist and member of the LGBTQ+ community, Thalhammer’s artworks frequently communicate messages of strength and hope.

The mural is scheduled for completion in late October and will serve as a dynamic part of a major update to the existing public plaza at the Crystal City Metro station entrance being spearheaded by the BID in partnership with JBG SMITH. Other improvements, planned for implementation this fall, will include new contemporary seating, enhanced landscape, accent lighting, and a more open layout.

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About National Landing Business Improvement District

The National Landing Business Improvement District (BID) is a public-private partnership established to promote and activate the area’s business, retail, restaurant and residential community through placemaking, public art, transportation, economic development, events, marketing and promotion. This dynamic, mixed-use urban center encompasses the vibrant Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard-Arlington neighborhoods, and includes more than 26,000 residents, nearly 12 million square feet of office space, approximately 5,500 hotel rooms and over 450 restaurants and shops. Already Virginia’s largest walkable downtown, National Landing is in the midst of an exciting transformation driven by billions of dollars in public and private investment that will deliver new and enhanced housing, offices, parks, transportation and infrastructure in the coming years. The National Landing BID is helping to steer this growth in ways that are sustainable and enhance the area’s diversity and livability. For more information, visit NationalLanding.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.