Public Safety

The Murals of Downtown Birmingham Transform Vandalized Streetscapes to Avenues of Hope

The Love mural is by artist Véronique Vanblaere. It is one of many murals painted on plywood used to secure painted this week, adding to artistry begun after the May 31 demonstration. (Source: Tom Gordon)

The cleanup and restoration of downtown Birmingham continues as more murals are painted on plywood used to secure buildings vandalized almost two weeks ago after a protest.

Saturday morning, people are being invited to the Alabama Theatre, where they can get paint and go around painting their handprints on each of the large murals lining the sidewalks, according to Mary Jean Baker LaMay, one of the organizers of BHAM Cleanup.

The Love mural above, by Véronique Vanblaere, is one of many painted this week, adding to artistry begun after the May 31 demonstration.

Also see: From Chaos Comes Art: A Walk Through Downtown Birmingham

Bailey Carvalho works on a mural painted with her mother, Sunny Carvalho, as part of the continuing effort by BHAM Cleanup to paint murals on the plywood used to cover windows and doors of downtown venues after a May 31 protest turned to violence and vandalism. (Source: Tom Gordon)

Local painter Shawn Fitzwater puts together his Rise mural as part of the BHAM Cleaup effort downtown.

This mural by Vincent Rizzo decorates a downtown Birmingham street. (Photo by Tom Gordon)