Rendering Courtesy of Artist
The Salt Lake City Arts Council’s Public Art Program is excited to announce the selection of Matt Monsoon of Monsoon Creative, a local artist from the Fairpark neighborhood, for the 500 North Traffic Calming Measures public art project. This site-specific artist commission aims to transform utilitarian infrastructure into an artistic source of community pride and reflection, enhancing the safety and aesthetic appeal of the neighborhood.
In response to concerns from area residents, Salt Lake City recently implemented a series of traffic calming measures along 500 North between Redwood Road and 1200 West. As part of this project, the Public Art Program, in collaboration with Transportation staff, identified a small traffic circle at 1300 West & 500 North as an ideal site for the installation of an artwork. Located centrally within the neighborhood, a few blocks north of the Utah State Fairpark and the Jordan River Parkway Trail, this site was selected for Percent-for-Art funding in December 2022.
In preparation for this artist commission, and as an effort to develop a neighborhood-specific and community responsive-project, the Public Art Program, with the assistance of Salt Lake City’s Civic Engagement Team, conducted a series of community outreach efforts with Fairpark residents. These efforts included an online survey that garnered 247 individual responses, gathering feedback on desired art styles and perceptions of community character (to read a summary of what we heard, click here). Additionally, these engagement efforts aimed to raise awareness of the forthcoming public art installation, ensuring that the project reflects the values and aspirations of the Fairpark neighborhood. The complete findings of this report were shared with Monsoon during the proposal development process.
Taking inspiration from a quote by Wallace Stegner—"Culture is a pyramid to which each of us brings a stone"—Monsoon's conceptual approach to the site is anchored on the symbol of a pyramid, which he inverts "to make a little more room for everyone at the top." The design of the artwork serves as a commentary on the imbalance of power often present in working-class neighborhoods like Fairpark; the flipped structure aims to "invert that pyramid of inequity and create a better future for all." Constructed from two intersecting pieces of cut metal, the artwork will feature the outline of four imagined characters atop it, symbolizing youth & potential on one side and age & wisdom on the other. Additionally, the artwork will serve as a landmark for the neighborhood, incorporating the words "Fairpark | SLC" at the base of the structure.
Rendering Courtesy of Artist
Monsoon, a Utah-based artist and resident of the Fairpark neighborhood, possesses a profound connection to Salt Lake City’s West Side, evident through his extensive body of work that evokes a strong sense of place, community, and home. His expressive illustrative style bursts with vibrant colors, whimsical characters, and captivating narratives. Inspired by Fairpark's multiculturalism, unity, and cooperative spirit, his 500 North Traffic Calming Measures public art commission is a direct reflection of these values. With a portfolio boasting numerous murals across Utah, including a significant public art commission at Salt Lake County's public library in Kearns, Monsoon has honed his ability to engage with diverse audiences and integrate community perspectives into his art seamlessly. As he embarks on the 500 North Traffic Calming Measures public art project, his creative vision is anchored in storytelling, inclusivity, and a celebration of Fairpark's cultural richness, promising a lasting impact for the communities he serves.
The selection of Monsoon for this commission was recommended by the Salt Lake Art Design Board and subsequently approved for commission by Mayor Erin Mendenhall in early 2024. The artist was selected following a ‘Request for Qualifications’ process that was open to professional artists and/or artist-led teams residing in Utah in late summer 2023. The artwork will be fabricated and installed later this year. For more information about Matt Monsoon of Monsoon Creative, please visit https://www.monsoonartworks.com/. All images are courtesy of the artist. We invite you to follow us on Instagram at @slc_publicartprogram for updates on this and the many other different projects we sponsor throughout Utah’s capital city. The Public Art Program is a service of the Salt Lake City Arts Council. You can learn more about what we do at www.saltlakearts.org and www.saltlakepublicart.org.
