‘Does Not Reflect Coral Springs’: Downtown Mural Project Fails to Advance at Commission Meeting

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Rendering of the proposoed public art in downtown Coral Springs {City of Coral Springs}

The Coral Springs City Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to postpone action on a proposed downtown art mural titled We Rise by Chicago artist CJ Hungerman, and also declined to approve a piece of indoor artwork.

The proposed mural was selected from 64 submissions after an open call organized by the Coral Springs Museum of Art, the city’s Public Art Committee, and staff as part of the city’s five-year Public Art Master Plan. The artwork was intended for an exterior wall at the new Coral Springs Museum of Art downtown.

City officials said the mural was proposed as part of the museum’s rebranding strategy and envisioned as a statement piece highlighting Coral Springs’ cultural identity. The project was originally budgeted for $75,000 but came in lower than expected at $38,000 — money that would come from fees paid by developers, officials said.

The mural, according to the artist’s statement, includes organic shapes, clouds, and floral icons that abstractly represent city residents.

“The group really felt that it was in line with where the Coral Springs Museum of Art is going with their rebranding strategy and the efforts to move downtown. And they really wanted the project to reflect the museum as a cultural beacon internationally and nationally,” said Tina Jou, head of the city’s community development department.

But some residents and commission members said they were concerned the artwork did not reflect anything specific to Coral Springs or the city’s character, and that an exterior mural might be premature given the ongoing development downtown.

“This public art does not reflect Coral Springs in any way that I can tell, and I’ve lived here for well over 40 years,” former Mayor Roy Gold told commissioners during the public comment portion of Wednesday’s meeting. “Please don’t vote for those murals.”

Commissioner Shawn Cerra said of the mural: “Aesthetically, it just wasn’t aligning in my head with our strategic plan.”

“I really would like us to get in that space, have success in that space—not only our museum, but the restaurants and businesses that are coming— before we start looking at some exterior advancements around murals,” Cerra said.

Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer Bowen agreed that the timing was early for an exterior installation but said she supported the idea of public art in principle, especially opportunities for local artists.

“I look forward to continuing this conversation,” she said. “At this moment, I think as we continue to develop and move through downtown, it’s a little premature.”

Commissioner Joe McHugh, who serves on the city’s Public Art Committee, praised the committee’s effort but said he preferred something more clearly tied to Coral Springs imagery.

Mayor Scott Brook echoed the call for art that better represents the community’s identity.

“I love a mural that’s representative of our community, and for me, especially the Everglades,” Brook said, noting that Coral Springs borders the unique ecosystem.

City Manager Catherine Givens said staffers would revisit the timing and concept of the exterior mural.

A related proposal, which sought approval for an interior art installation featuring a Florida panther, was not advanced either; it failed for lack of a motion after commissioners discussed the project.

Givens said the city could bring back an interior art concept at a later date based on more feedback.

No tax dollars go toward purchasing public art in Coral Springs, officials said. Rather, the money comes from a fee charged to developers who have projects larger than 12,500 square-feet, a city spokesperson said

Developers can contribute to the city’s Public Art Fund or purchase artwork to display on their properties in accordance with city code.

After Wednesday’s debate over the mural, Brook asked that staffers communicate the commission’s appreciation to the Public Art Committee.

“None of this is personal,” he said. “We probably should have shared with you all our particular interests as a commission and been more engaged with the request.”

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Kevin Deutsch

Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning journalist and author of two nonfiction books. He covers general assignment news and Jewish community issues for Talk Media. He has also worked as a staff writer at The Miami Times, the Rio Grande SUN, the New York Daily News, Newsday, The Miami Herald, The Palm Beach Post, The Riverdale Press, and Bronx Justice News.