DPJ’s Urban Form series looks at the interplay between movement and surroundings through the lens of dancers and architecture in downtown Phoenix.
Dancers Kalin Green and Randee Powell. Photo by Ashley Baker.
Downtown Phoenix is home to a vast collection of street art pieces that express the thoughts, identity and experience of the artist who created them, as well as create a statement of our city’s essence. The murals decorating the parking lot walls and the side of the building of Filmbar fit right in with this mission of modern expressionism.
In particular I was entranced by one of the smaller pieces that decorates the back service entrance, featuring little particles swirling to create dancing rings of color. Like the striking rings of Saturn, this piece captures you even amidst physically larger pieces. With its nod to the particles of dust bouncing and hitting one another to create this moment, artist Jesse Perry had me present.
Dancers Kalin Green and Randee Powell, like the millions of dots behind them, pushed each other and needed each other to complete this shape. It is like the relationship between our beloved city and blossoming street art collection; these works need the buildings, but the buildings and the city will always need these works of art to feed the city’s voice.
