Release Date: Jun 22, 2021

National Landing Business Improvement District Announces Finalists for Wall Mural Art Competition

Public Art Committee Selects Talented Group of Local and Regional Artists who will Compete for the Opportunity to Reimagine Wall in the Crystal City Metro Plaza

Arlington, VA [Tuesday, June 22, 2021] — The National Landing Business Improvement District (BID) today announced the six finalists that will vie for the chance to create a wall mural in the Crystal City Metro plaza. Sponsored by the BID, the design challenge advances the organization’s efforts to position National Landing as a vibrant destination with an enlivened streetscape brimming with compelling activations and public art installations.

The group of artists, who were selected by a public art committee organized by the BID and evaluated on their relevant experience, are representative of the local community, broader region and national artist landscape.

The finalists announced include:

• Cory Bernat, whose colorful murals can be found throughout the DC region;
• A collaborative effort between DC-based visual artist and multimedia designer Bryan Conner; Arlington-based artist Andrew Funk, whose eye-catching works were included in the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Art in Bloom project; and Baltimore muralist Hiro Hubbard;
• KaliQ Crosby, an airbrush artist and DC native known for his bold works;
• Cecilia Lueza, an artist and sculptor who creates dynamic public art pieces in a range of mixed media;
• Lisa Marie Thalhammer, a DC-based visual artist whose art uplifts and empowers; and
• Scott Liam Walker, a Virginia-based artist known for his murals and pop art illustrations.

“We are thrilled by the diverse and highly-skilled pool of artists who expressed interest in working with the BID to transform the Metro plaza to more accurately reflect the vibrancy of National Landing,” said Tracy Sayegh Gabriel, President and Executive Director of the National Landing BID. “We are confident that the talented finalists we selected will produce an array of striking designs and look forward to the Metro plaza’s future as a more welcoming and engaging connection point for our community.”

These six finalists are now tasked with submitting a proposed concept for the mural, which will adorn the Metro plaza’s west wall that measures approximately 115 feet in length and 20 feet in height. The competition encourages the artists to stretch the limits of their creativity to produce a work that delivers iconic imagery with an engaging and memorable aesthetic that embraces the location at the transit station entrance. A winner will be selected this summer, and the mural will be completed by fall 2021.

In addition to the mural, the Crystal City Metro Plaza is slated for a series of design improvements aimed at creating a more enjoyable experience for the public, including new seating options and movable furniture, enhanced landscaping, accent lighting and a more open layout. These plaza improvements, along with the mural, are aimed at welcoming commuters back to transit as employees and residents return to the office. For more information about the competition, visit here.

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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.