Legacy Park of Hope Murals
Date created: 2021
The two murals at this location, Hope L.P.O.H. and Baseball Memories, were inspired by the community and the location of the Legacy Park of Hope in a former baseball field. Hope L.P.O.H. literally puts the word “hope” front and center, filling it with almost-portraits of community residents including youth. The idea is that it is the people of the neighborhood who are responsible for the hopeful attitude. Baseball Memories, painted on the shed facing the new kickball field, reminds residents of the former use of the park and vividly recreates, across time, the feeling of neighborhood games.
The murals were completed as part of Indy Art & Seek, a project by the Indy Arts Council and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful to pair artists and communities to create site-specific art that encourages neighborhood residents to see their surroundings in new ways.
The murals’ artist, Gary Gee, began his career as a graphic designer with an Associate’s degree in Visual Communications from Ivy Tech Community College, then received his BFA from Herron School of Art & Design, IUPUI in 2016. This additional experience allowed him to move his work in a more self-expressive direction. He is a painter and a sculptor, creating works on canvas and in clay, often using non-traditional substrates and an incongruous mix of different media. Gary’s work references urban street art, art history, and hip hop culture. He describes his work as very “take-charge,” with loud, aggressive, and vibrant riffs that pour from his heart and soul. He is a proud product of the 46218 zip code.