NOB HILL, ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Some public art is so representative of the spirit of a city it just makes the visitor stop and say, “Let me get a picture of you standing right in front of it!” It is one way we keep track of our lives.
Some towns have art pieces that seem to define their existence. For instance, in Reserve, NM the one photo you must have taken is that of yourself in front of the Elfego Baca statue. In Artesia, it’s the trio of sculptures depicting a cattle rustling scenario complete with a gun battle.
Here in Nob Hill, I’ve seen tourists doing group shots in front of the unsettling 4-eyed Native American figure in the mural next to the Flying Star. I don’t blame them. It is an unforgettable image.
But for a pure, iconic symbol of the Duke City, the brand-new mural done by Larry Bob Phillips may be the new center for must-have photos. He seems to have caught Albuquerque just right. And to top it off, the name of our town is spelled out in huge gothic letters.
That is why, when I found out that the Nob Hill MainStreet program had held a “selfie” contest for shots taken in front of the Larry Bob Phillips mural in Nob Hill, I could only nod. It made so much sense. You see, Larry Bob Phillips has painted a piece that will forever be at the center of public art in Albuquerque.
Actually, I should spell the name of our city with the extra “R”. Larry Bob does. The name of his mural is “Alburquerque.”
It was commissioned by the Nob Hill MainStreet organization with help from Public Service Company of New Mexico and Artisan Art Supply. And it is new, only finished about a month and a half ago. Located one block north of Route 66 on the corner of Monte Vista Blvd. and Richmond NE, it is directly across from the elementary school where I taught for 20 years.
“Alburquerque” shows the whole Rio Grande valley in a kind of monochromatic shorthand that is so distinctive that people just stop and stare. It is painted on the side wall of Artisan Art Supply, and yesterday while standing on the corner under their canopy, two guys in a pickup truck drove by with both of them pointing at the mural, smiling, and having an animated conversation.
It is a piece that seems to demand that people be included in photos of it. It is a wonderful piece when viewed from a distance, but all the elements lend themselves to close-ups as well. There is drama in the details as well as the big picture.
I got Brittanie Vega to accompany me to the mural for some photos. I knew her as a barista at the nearby Flying Star. Brittanie is an accounting student at UNM…and I think she proves my point.
So next time you’re in Alburquerque’s Nob Hill, bring your camera.
