I Have Seen the Future and We’re All In It
Artist: Mike Wirth with Arko and Drew Newpher
Categories Murals South End Interactive
Details
Developer White Point Partners commissioned artist Mike Wirth to paint three walls of the building located at the Dilworth Artisan Station. Wirth is a community muralist, founder of the Talking Walls Mural Festival, and design faculty at Queens University. He worked with Arko and Drew Newpher for over a month painting this enormous project. 300 gallons of paint and primer, over 100 hours, many breaks to stop and talk to passers-by, and South End has an incredible new addition to the neighborhood.
This mural is all about history. Start on the parachute side. The Dilworth Artisan Station building was one of the original mills located in the South End area. During WWI, the mill converted to making parachutes for the war effort. Find the landing zone and snap your photo so that you “nail your landing.”
On the Rail Trail side, bottles of pop and gas bubbles celebrate the factory which at one time manufactured carbonated sodas. On the third side, a multi-cultural Rosie the Riveter reminds us of the women who worked in factories of the past and today. At the far-right corner, a giant leg brings out the hosiery mill history and a certain holiday film classic. The oversized frame is a connection to the current and long-operating framing business still located in the building.
118 E. Kingston Avenue at Dilworth Artisan Station
Location
118 East Kingston Ave View on Google Maps
Charlotte, NC 28203
