In this mural, artist Michael Cooper pays tribute to the architectural heritage of Indianapolis and capitalizes on the view of Indianapolis’ skyline presented in this location. He creates new architectural elements on a flat wall that, at first glance, looks three-dimensional. What appears as yet another architecturally rich facade is found to be merely wallpaper hung by a single figure, perched atop a ladder.  This twist is alluded to in the title, where “roll” could also mean a roll of wallpaper.

The artwork is also an allusion to urban updates, a controversial topic in planning circles.  The mural blends the bland modernist facade back into the fabric of the city by recreating elements of older buildings nearby.  In doing so, the artist seems to say that perhaps building to the current style is not always appropriate.

The mural was one of 46 murals commissioned by the Arts Council of Indianapolis as part of its nationally renowned 46 for XLVI murals initiative.

Cooper is a mural artist based in Nashville, Tennessee.  To learn more about his work, visit his website.