August 2011 - Clean City Powderhorn UPDATE

The mural that Morgan secured financing for through the City of Minneapolis Clean City Program is now complete. The innovative mural has been installed at Acme Awning, located on the 3200 block of Bloomington Avenue. Using metallic gold leaf paint, Minneapolis artist Rich Barlow rendered the speed skating track that made Powderhorn Park a national destination from the 1930s to the 1950s.

Barlow utilizes an approach that appropriates the aesthetic of the first photographs, most notably the work of Henry Fox Talbot. His innovative approach to mural design greatly interested Acme Awning’s owner and he is very happy with the final result. According to an excellent post at Minneapolis Park History, Powderhorn Lake was mentioned in the sports pages as far away as Norway, and huge crowds attended the National Speed Skating Championships which were often held at the park.

Images of these murals can be found on the weblog.