ABQ Times

Today, the City of Albuquerque's Municipal Development Department and Department of Arts & Culture celebrated a collaborative project that beautifies and activates an area of the VSA Garage at 4th and Copper downtown. A large mural and a living plant wall in the gated courtyard have transformed the space into a vibrant, welcoming environment. The addition of seating and greenery makes it an ideal spot for those working downtown to enjoy their lunch breaks, unwind, and take in the artistic surroundings.

The space will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, offering a refreshing and peaceful retreat in the heart of downtown. The plant wall features 400 plants, ranging from succulents to herbs, each with its own irrigation system. In addition to the wall, several lush planters are placed throughout the space.

"We’re fortunate to live in a place filled with so many creatives, and creators, who use their talents to beautify and enrich their city,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “It’s a quality that Burqueños just seem to have, to see the possibilities in the rough or mundane, and transform them into something beautiful that inspires all of us.”

“We were inspired. We all want high-quality spaces in downtown to enjoy our city’s urban core, and the Parking Division is doing its part to improve the look and feel of downtown with this inspired mural and our new plant wall oasis,” said Parking Division Manager Maria Griego.

The mural by artist Eamon Quigley pays homage to the mural inside the VSA Garage by Gilberto Guzman, originally painted in 1984. Quigley’s mural features a blend of southwestern plants that echo the living plant wall in the gated courtyard area. On the left side, more native plants accompany the plant wall, while on the far right, crops and New Mexican laborers are depicted.

Quigley’s mural was recommended by the Arts Board in May based on his unsolicited proposal along with support from Municipal Development. The mural is now a piece in the City’s Public Art collection.

“We are very excited that Eamon’s whimsical plants, animals, and other fun characters complement the Parking Division’s efforts to make a nice space in the very heart of downtown,” said Manager of Arts & Culture’s Public Art Urban Enhancement Division Sherri Brueggemann.