Welcome to Mural Monday! Here at Ride OKC, we love and appreciate all the public art that Oklahoma City has to offer. Each Mural Monday, we'll chat about a different local art mural around the city. We'll tell you the history, facts about the artist, and hidden messages about the art. First up? The Bricktown OKCtopus!
The Bricktown OKCtopus was painted in 2016. It's located on the Chevy Events Center, facing North, in the heart of Bricktown. Painted by Jack Fowler, this mural is over 200 feet wide and 25 feet tall. The coolest thing? This mural is also a scavenger hunt. There are 88 of pieces of art-within-art in the Bricktown OKCtopus, including Abe Lincoln and a tiny ballerina. For a full list of all the tiny pieces of art, click here. (we don't want to spoil the surprise, but if you MUST know)
The OKCtopus may be a staple now, but an old city ordinance forbid any art that wasn't a historic portrait. This truly was a groundbreaking piece of mural art in Bricktown, bringing modern art to the masses. The artist, Jack Fowler was born and raised in Oklahoma. Fowler quit his job as a Kindergarten teacher in 2011 to become a full time artist. He's a contributor to the Oklahoma Gazette as an freelance contributor and a editorial cartoonist. He also hosts a popular Spy FM radio show on Sunday Nights called Tumbleweeds All The Way Down. Fowler quit his job as a Kindergarten teacher in 2011 to become a full time artist. Like his style? See more of his art at here or better yet, commission him for a work of your own by dropping him a line at guitarjack99@yahoo.com.
This mural was made possible by DOKC's public art and placemaking initiative to create an authentic and distinctive sense of place downtown. Visiting OKC or want to take a tour of your own hometown? Ride OKC features the Bricktown Okctopus in our "Art + Architecture" tour! This 3-hour tour highlights the history, architecture, and public art that Downtown OKC has to offer. Won't you book a tour today?
Been here before? Let us know by tagging @RideOKC and using #BricktownOKCtopus for a chance to be featured.