Public Art
Wander through the neighborhood and discover tiny art happenings, large-scale murals and pops of neon color and light. From works by nationally celebrated visual artists like Esteban del Valle and HENSE, to local heroes like Carl Medley III and Hannah Kirkpatrick, to the world-renowned Chrysler Museum of Art, come see the new energy of Norfolk on display.
When Chameleons Rollerskate
Bright. Bold. Incredibly Awkward. Artist Charley Frances’ When Chameleons Roller Skate is a playful mural featuring a children’s book character that is in the middle of a story. The painted chameleon allows anyone who passes it to imagine the rest of the story, before and after, for themselves. Find it on the rear of The … When Chameleons Rollerskate
View Post3 Muses
Artist Victoria Weiss woke up one early morning and created these female characters based on symbolism and culture: the energy of a Gazelle able to outrun panthers and cheetahs; a cat, harking back to Egyptian cultures that treated felines like gods for protecting their owners; and third, a Chinese opera mask, elevating Chinese folk stories … 3 Muses
View PostGeometric Configuration #1, #2, and #3
Australian artist Karri McPherson used the late 1960s International Style architecture of the Wyndham Garden hotel, as well as its interior design, to inspire her three wall paintings. These configurations comprise hard-edged geometric shapes and employ color, shape and form as mechanisms to engage audiences with the vibrant murals. The mural was McPherson’s first in … Geometric Configuration #1, #2, and #3
View PostKeep Glowing
A black light reactive mural made from glass bottles and florescent colored resin now occupies the chain link fence along W. Wilson Avenue behind the Virginia ABC store. Inspired by the former NEON Fiber Garden, the team of creators want you to see the energy created by the NEON District and “keep it glowing!” Volunteers … Keep Glowing
View PostNeighborhood Markers
Local teens and adults from the Young Terrace neighborhood assisted in a “paint-by-number” process to create a 63-foot-long mural on the CHKD Thrift Store in NEON. It was designed by Natalia Pilato, art education program director and assistant professor in Old Dominion University’s Department of Art and her ODU students with extensive community input. The … Neighborhood Markers
View PostThe Nature of Unity
Miami artist Ivan Roque’s mural’s vines and flowers are representative of different cultures, races and how they wrap with ease throughout each other, creating an abstracted but organic composition which blossoms into a natural way of being and unification. The design was modified in 2021 so just the upper story is painted.
View Post#ILYNFKVA
Four sign language hands together spell out “I love you” and “N F K”, while the Mona Lisa gestures two up two down, representing VA in Mallory Jarrell’s unique style of reinterpreting art history in a modern and fun context.
View PostExtravaganza
ExtraVAganza is a tribute to the diversity of industries currently thriving within the local community. In the mind of artist Scott Walker, the key to a successfully functioning economy is synchronicity and transparency between all parties, so he created a seemingly-fractured canvas which is holistically tied together by the power of the ‘Love VA’ community. Given … Extravaganza
View PostJewel
Her ignited eyes float under the sea waves. In Navid Rahman’s second mural in the NEON District, he took on the mermaid, an iconic symbol of Norfolk and remade her into a lush and ethereal beauty beckoning you down Magazine Lane. Located on the rear of Norfolk Printing Company, the mural replaced With the Current.
View PostPublic Art Program
Since the birth of the NEON District, new murals and sculpture projects have multiplied, through both top down and grassroots efforts. The combination creates an inclusive, welcoming arts community with a range of talents and styles. The NEON District's public art grant program supports individual artists and property owners seeking designs.
ExploreArts Archive
A number of amazing projects have graced the walls and galleries in the NEON District over the years. Some were temporary, some faded away gracefully and some rotate out over the years. Walk down memory lane with us.
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