Halloween is coming. But like everything else, 2020’s version of the ghoulish event will be a bit backwards, in a lot of ways. Can you imagine a social distancing Halloween party? Or passing out candies while adhering to CDC guidelines? At this point, a lot of people are putting Halloween on the back burner, in hopes that in 2021 things will get back to normal.
As a way to pay tribute to the Halloween season, Revolution Gallery is in the midst of creating a hauntingly beautiful mural on Hertel Avenue.
The characters in his works demonstrate that there can be contentment and hope.
The mural, titled The Queen City Procession, is being painted on the back side of the gallery (North Park Avenue) by nationally exhibited pop-surrealist artist Joe Völlan. Völlan specializes in this sort of otherworldly subject matter, which features forest animals (cats, foxes, crows), skeletons, etc., in folkloric storybook settings. This particular work will include “an ever-watching Buffalo, The Richardson Towers, and Shark Girl.”
As much as his works are considered eerie and bizarre, there is something very endearing about his style and composition. This mural is filled with folk-fantasy Children of the Forest fairytale style depictions that will be the perfect selfie station come Halloween.
“Joe has painted murals in his hometown of Seattle, WA., and now, residing with his two sons in Buffalo, NY, Joe is excited to create this piece – which faces North Park Avenue – as his first ever mural on the East Coast!” – Revolution Gallery
Personally, I’m very excited to have another artist of this caliber producing public works in Buffalo. Völlan’s paintings have been exhibited at group and solo shows at Revolution Gallery in the past, and now we’re seeing the next
The mural is being funded by the sale of limited edition prints, and other smaller levels of sponsorship/reward incentives. To learn more about supporting the mural*, click here.
Revolution Gallery | 1419 Hertel Avenue | Buffalo NY
*Support also comes from the North Buffalo Organization, councilman Joel Feroleto, and Timothy Welch.