6 new murals bring color, culture and community stories to Salt Lake City's North Temple corridor

SALT LAKE CITY — The North Temple corridor has long been considered the gateway to Salt Lake City, shaped by immigrant-owned businesses, new development and a growing west-side community. Now, six new murals are helping capture that story in vivid color.

The public art project pairs local artists with business owners and community organizations to create works that reflect the people and cultures that make North Temple unique.

"This neighborhood's changing very quickly," said artist Trevor Dahl. "All around us is buildings coming up. This neighborhood has such diversity and history that, as public art is speaking to all the other artists in the program, we all take the history of the place really seriously. And we go deep into the research on what is the character of this place and what do we want to highlight and preserve in our art as this place changes?"

His mural, "Quetzal Magic," at 866 W. South Temple spreads across the roofline of Red Iguana 2. Dahl said he wanted to combine his whimsical style with the restaurant's mission of bringing Mexican flavors and culture to the area.

"The quetzal is sort of bringing that magic of nature into this great city that maybe needs a little bit of that," Dahl said. "You have the nature and the city, so, from an environmental lens, it's sort of about maybe integrating our relationship to nature better into our society as we're here in Salt Lake dealing with pollution and the Great Salt Lake issues."

He said the sun, featuring an eye, represents God.

"The world is alive, and it's interacting with us, observing us," Dahl said.

Just blocks away, another mural titled "The Dream Quilt" covers the side of the new KWB Apartments at 4 N. 1000 West. Last year, the site was an empty lot. Now, the housing complex provides homes and support services for people who have experienced chronic homelessness and serious mental health conditions.

"It's exciting to be driving in this neighborhood and seeing something beautiful on these walls that represents something, that calls your attention," Salt Lake City council member Alejandro Puy said.

Artists said collaboration was a key piece of the project. Many worked closely with business owners to develop concepts that reflected their histories and values.

For artist Caro Nilsson, that partnership became deeply personal. Her mural, "Wings to Fly, Wings to Swim, Wings to Return to the Sky, Again" is located at La Diana Market on 56 S. 900 West. She said she developed a bond with the store's owners.

"What makes me emotional is they're just such special people," Nilsson said. "The fact that they opened up their time and home and love to me was really important."

Nilsson collaborated with the owners of La Diana, whose family roots trace back to Mexico. Together, they created a mural that blends landscapes from Utah and Michoacán.

"There's Storm Mountain up there, and there's also the volcano from Michoacán," she said. "What do we bring with us when we come from a lot of different places?"

Birds play a central role in the artwork. Nilsson chose cormorants because they symbolize adaptation and movement between different places and cultures. She used to see the birds along the Jordan River when she walked the trail.

"They're here, and they also go to Michoacán," she said. "They're in both places. They migrate. And the idea that they're so adaptable, the fact that they can swim, they dry their wings, and then they fly. To me, adaptability is such a beautiful thing about community resilience."

As residents and visitors travel along North Temple, the artists hope the murals do more than brighten walls. They hope the artwork preserves the stories, cultures and history that have shaped one of Salt Lake City's most recognizable corridors.

"Maybe it'll cause people to think about it or just smile," Dahl said. "To me, that's really meaningful just to have the opportunity to interrupt someone's regular day with something unexpected or something whimsical or very positive. That gives me a lot of purpose and meaning in my life."

The other murals featured in the project include:

• Cole Eisenhour - "A Wider View" at 140 N. 900 West at Rancho Market.
• Matt Monsoon - "Last Train to Saltair" at 1025 W. North Temple at Promontory Place Apartments
• Trent Call - "Be Kind, Rewind" located at 120 N. 900 West

For more information on the mural project visit the Salt Lake City Arts Council website.

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