Australian artist Guido van Helten completed mural on 100’ silos
that will serve as the backdrop for the new McKinney City Hall

McKinney, Texas -- After nearly two months of painting in extreme heat and the occasional downpour, internationally-recognized artist Guido van Helten has completed the installation of his artwork on the 100-feet-tall historic concrete silos in the Historic Downtown McKinney Cultural District. The mural will become a part of van Helten's Monuments series, commissioned works on industrial architecture throughout the United States, and has received global recognition.

"For the past five years, the Monuments projects I have been working on in the US are largely focused in regional areas, with the intent of sharing local stories and projecting community voices to a wider audience. This project now adds another southern element linking to other locations in the ongoing series," said van Helten.

Prior to painting, the artist and a cultural researcher spent time within the McKinney community learning from citizens about their identities, heritage, and cultures to inspire the design of the artwork. Focusing much of this time on the east side of town, particularly in the communities surrounding the silos, van Helten took more than 5,000 photographs, recorded interviews and oral histories, interacted with hundreds of residents, and visited small businesses, non-profit organizations, places of worship, and even held a workshop with Faubion Middle School students. His encounters included a wide range of demographics, age groups, and backgrounds.

"The artwork is a snapshot of the unique atmosphere and moment in this community as it continues to shift and grow. With a considered, culture-focused approach, I wanted to ensure that the artwork on a heritage industrial structure remains relevant as this city expands around it," said van Helten. “The figures painted act as semiotic illustrations of the togetherness and promise the city of McKinney provides to its diverse population.”

"This art has a lot of layers, which you can see with the depth of field represented in the piece. To me, it represents the layers of our community. McKinney isn't just one thing; we have a balance of the historic and the new, the old and the young, growing amenities and open spaces, a large city but a hometown feel. Our dichotomy is our strength," said Mayor George Fuller.

As the industrial area east of Highway 5 redevelops, the mural pays tribute to the city's identity and culture. Soon, the silos will serve as the backdrop of the new McKinney City Hall expected to break ground later this month. One of the city's goals for the redevelopment project is to preserve and celebrate the historical and cultural elements of the communities in and around the new City Hall district.

"I see this mural as a celebration of our legacy of gathering together in McKinney and the memories created at these special events. We bring our families together to celebrate Home for the Holidays and the Fourth of July at Red, White, and Boom; we enjoy art and wine at Arts in Bloom and maybe have too much fun at Oktoberfest. And more recently, we take time to honor and celebrate our rich diversity through events like Juneteenth, Mexican Independence Day, and Diwali," said Mayor Fuller.

Public art has been cherished in McKinney for decades and is integral to the Historic Downtown McKinney designation as a cultural district in 2018. The cultural district includes an abundance of public art projects: the Monarchs of McKinney sculptures, numerous murals, and the three-story McKinney Blooms mosaic on the Chestnut Commons parking garage, to name a few.

"These public art pieces will come together to give our community a stronger sense of identity, help differentiate ourselves, and celebrate the power of ideas and images. These silos are now an iconic spot in our community, and we are thrilled with how they turned out," said City Manager Paul Grimes.