ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s not often that the public gets to watch an exhibit being installed at a museum and speak with the artists involved, but the Dali Museum is giving visitors that opportunity this weekend.
As you walk into the new exhibit, "Outside In, New Murals Inspired by Dali," you’re greeted with heavy-duty machinery, paint cans and artists on ladders.
“We’ve never done anything like this. We like to do the big reveal, so this is a totally different way of working for us,” said curator Allison McCarthy.
WATCH Live mural painting consumes the Dali Museum's newest exhibit
McCarthy thought the exhibit was a great way to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the SHINE Mural Festival, another pillar in the St. Petersburg art community.
“One of the best parts about SHINE is watching the art happen, and isn’t it interesting to watch the brush to the canvas, that creativity in action?” said McCarthy.
The exhibit features 13 renowned street artists. Many of them, like Chad Mize, live in Tampa Bay and regularly participate in SHINE.
“As a mural artist, this is a dream to be working inside a museum. We are not in the elements, it’s nice and cool in here, and it’s just been a great experience,” said Mize.
Every mural captures the essence of Salvador Dali, from the lobster phone to the melting clock to his signature mustache.
Artists Naomi Heverland and Chris Parks grew up going to the Dali.
“It’s so cool to have memories here at the museum, being inspired by Dali, and then to be here myself featured, it’s just, like, surreal,” said Heverland.
“This is a dream project for me, absolutely. I love this museum, I’ve brought many friends here over the years. It’s been a big influence. Being able to point to the work and talk about it with people allows me to dive into some really interesting ideas and concepts,” said Parks.
Other artists traveled from different states and even countries, as far as Australia, just to be here.
“The whole thing that kept going through my head was what would Dali do, right? I did a ton of research. I have a bunch of Dali books at my house and my studio, so I started combing through a lot of that, pulling a lot of different references and putting my own twist on it,” said artist Greg Mike from Atlanta.
"Outside In, New Murals Inspired by Dali" opens May 24 and runs through Oct. 26. Live painting is expected to continue through the end of the month.
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