© 2024 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Central Standard

A Mural Guide to Kansas City

For two weeks, I’ve been searching for Kansas City’s most memorable and massive murals.

The journey first took me through KCK. I spent hours driving with the worldly, yet humble artist Jose Faus, who focuses on community murals. The next day, I was downtown looking at spray painted murals with Kansas City’s first graffiti writer, who goes by the name Gear. Then eventually, I got to talk to the artist that created a mural that’s intrigued me, and many others, for decades: the black and white Martin Luther King tribute in midtown.

 

Prior to speaking with these artists, I used to look at their work and let my imagination run wild. Can you imagine how difficult it must be to spend days, even weeks, on scaffolds, braving the summer heat, all while trying to maintain artistic vision and paint a narrative onto crumbling brick or concrete?

Now, we don’t have to look to their pieces on a wall and wonder ‘how did that get there?’ We’ve got the real stories straight from the artists. Just check out my series of videos. You can also find them in the interactive map below.

Of course, I can’t find every mural that deserves attention. That’s why I need your help. Comment or send us an email at centralstandard@kcur.org with stories of your favorite murals in KC. We’re still adding to the map. Together, we can highlight the best wall art this city has to offer.


View A Mural Guide to Kansas City in a larger map

Central Standard