Bristol's Nick Walker gets a new job in a car park

Ok, Walker hasn't become a car park attendant, but he has been commissioned to paint the hip CityWay development parking garage by Indianapolis Museum of Art, IMA for short, and real estate developer, Buckingham Companies.

CityWay is a $155 million residential, retail and office development that is rejuvenating urban Indianapolis. Ironically, not so long ago the site itself was just Elli Lily & Co.'s car park next to the Amtrak station.

"On Tuesday afternoon, Walker used multiple stencils on a concrete post to paint “Vandal Child,” a tween-aged girl wearing a polka-dot dress and ski mask while holding two aerosol cans. 

While Walker at times spurs controversy with visual commentary on politics and religion (stencils of can-can dancers cloaked in Islamic veils, for instance), Buckingham executive Smith said his company collaborated with the artist for a relatively whimsical concept in the garage. 

“We want everybody and anybody to come see this,” Smith said." Indianapolis Star

This city developer and artist collaboration although innovative, it isn't new. Back in 2010 Las Vegas' CityCenter project imported several major artists, including Doze Green, to work on murals. Check out my blog post here.

The article from the IndyStar is a good read and tries to get inside of Walker's head. When asked if commissioned work is "incongruous with his art" Walker replies: "I’m comfortable with it...You have to earn a living, haven’t you? I’ve done my time on the street."

It seems that the photographer, Frank Espich, is also earning his living. You can purchase photos of Walker and his work starting at $4.99 for a 3" button pin on IndyStar's website.

If you are in Indianapolis then go see Walker's work as it will be formally unveiled later this month. If you don't get to visit here is a video of Nick Walker in action putting the finishing touches to his "Vandal Child" painting.





CityWay Discovery Center 
205 E. South St
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Hours : Monday-Friday 9am-6pm
Saturday 9am-1pm
Map