Large mural planned for downtown Iowa City parking ramp

A large mural meant to represent an embracing of diversity may be coming to a downtown Iowa City parking ramp.

The general concept, by local artist Eliezer Sotillo, calls for hands reaching toward one another and to the viewer. It is to be painted, with a mixture of black-and-white spray paint and a durable paint meant for concrete, on the north side of the Dubuque Street parking ramp.

Sotillo said the piece would convey an awareness of different cultures and diversity.

“In order for a community to work, we have to help each other out, create balance,” he said. “That mentality is what peace and harmony are about.”

Because the ramp is city property, the City Council must OK the project. It is to vote on the proposal at its May 15 meeting.

No public money would go toward the work, with developer Marc Moen sponsoring the project. Moen's Plaza Towers, which includes condominiums, a hotel and businesses, is directly north of the ramp.

Moen said he thought of the idea for a mural while looking out the window of the gym in Plaza Towers and seeing the blank exterior of the ramp. He hopes to breathe new life into public art in Iowa City.

The city's public art program has seen its funding decreased from $100,000 annually in fiscal year 2002 to $2,750 this year.

“My thought is, why don't we do it, and hopefully that will get people excited about doing privately funded public art,” Moen said.

He didn't want to say exactly how much the project would cost, in part because it depends on the amount of materials used and time needed to rent a lift for Sotillo, but he said it would be more than $10,000.

Moen and Sotillo also want some aspects of the design, including a sketch of what it looks like, kept secret for now because they want people to see the project develop, which is part of the appeal of a mural versus something done in a studio.

Another undisclosed detail is the size. Sotillo said he has it scaled to a specific grid so it's centered to the wall, but the size depends in part on how much he can get done in the month he's set aside for the work.

Moen said it could stretch the height of the exterior wall, which has five floors above ground. The wall is not visible from the Pedestrian Mall, but it can be seen from Linn Street and Plaza Towers.

Sotillo, a 29-year-old University of Iowa graduate who is currently working on his teaching certificate in art education, has painted several murals, including one for the Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival in 2010.