Local artists Mia Saine and Toonky Berry have given the area outside FedExForum a major glow up in celebration of Black History Month.
Memphis Tourism
Earlier today, Memphis Tourism unveiled the “Roots of Memphis Music” public art project in a press release. Twenty-four of the round concrete bollards surrounding the Forum’s entry plaza (at the intersection of B.B. King Boulevard and Beale Street) are now emblazoned with the likenesses of both the past and present Memphis music royalty. Think major players like W.C. Handy, David Porter, and Three 6 Mafia, as well as historic locations like Stax Records and Royal Studios.
Saine is a Memphis-native illustrator and designer, whose images consist of “simplified shapes, fun colors, and chalky textures.” Quantavious Berry, known as “Tooky Berry,” developed a style he dubs Toonkifcation while a student at the Memphis College of Art, which is an amalgam of “surrealism, caricatures, and graffiti.”
Each piece of artwork includes a QR Code that will provide interested patrons with the backgrounds and context of the images depicted on the bollards. Hosted on the Memphis Tourism website, these stories are curated by the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum, Memphis Slim Collaboratory executive director Tonya Dyson, and WYXR 91.7 program director Jared “Jay B” Boyd.
Memphis Tourism
Artists Mia Saine and Toonky Berry incorporated both the past and present of Memphis musical culture into the ‘Roots of Memphis Music’ project.
“The goal of this activation launching during Black History Month was to tell a visual story of prominent figures and landmarks that are connected to the Memphis music legacy, along with the music that is coming out of our city today,” said Regena Bearden, chief marketing officer for Memphis Tourism, in the release. “Our I Love Memphis murals across the city have become a destination for visitors and locals alike. For this project, we not only wanted to create a public art space to honor people and places at the heart of the Memphis sound but also educate and inform those who engage with the art through scannable QR codes on the bollards provide a wealth of information.”
“We are excited to celebrate the history of Black music here in Memphis with our partners at Memphis Tourism,” added Anthony Macri, vice president of partnership marketing for the Memphis Grizzlies. “The outdoor plaza in front of FedExForum is a front porch for the city, and featuring these great musicians, moments and locations will add richness to the experience of millions of tourists and visitors all year long.”
The artwork will remain in the FedExForum plaza through June 2021. To learn more about the project, visit MemphisTravel.com. For more ways to celebrate Black History Month in Memphis year-round, read this itinerary.