BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
The Eighth Street Tunnel Mural Painting is officially taking shape along the Boise River Greenbelt, adjacent to the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial.
The mural, which has been in the works since the summer, is in response to antisemitic graffiti that was spray painted in several greenbelt tunnels in December.
Portland artist Addie Boswell is painting the mural. She said she has been doing murals for 15 to 20 years in her home city and Seattle. With that said, this is the first time she has been to Boise.
“I think it’s poetic justice,” Boswell said of the mural going in place. “The opposite of war isn’t peace, it’s creation.”
Boswell said she came to Boise for a handful of days prior to her current visit. She went to museums and spoke with community members and local leaders to form the artist’s vision that is currently taking hold.
Dan Prinzing, executive director with the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights, said Boswell went to the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial to learn its history and overall message. That time spent has paid dividends, he said.
“Addie has captured that in her design,” Prinzing wrote in an email. “We are reminded that in times of darkness, we come together in hope. As Anne Frank wrote in her diary, ‘we can start now, start slowly changing the world.’”
Boswell said she started painting characters emulating community leaders who stood up for social justice. Included will be soldiers, refugee moms, laborers, LGBTQ activists, homeless individuals and those with disabilities.
“As many representatives of groups as we can,” she said.
There are also symbols that those individuals take pride in, Boswell said, which will include the Islam crescent moon, a sunflower, and a transgender sign.
“We all have our tribes but we’re all woven together and kind of working towards the same goal,” Boswell said.
Of course there will also be some hallmark Boise landmarks included in the mural.
A painting of a giant chestnut tree will engulf the tunnel’s north and south sides, as well as the ceiling. The Boise River and Foothills will also be depicted.
“We want this to be a shining light,” Boswell said.
Boswell said Thursday that the mural will be completed in four or five days and that she has received assistance from a number of community volunteers. Four came out Wednesday, she said, and an additional eight to 10 were expected on Thursday.
In an email last week, the Boise City Department of Arts and History said the mural space serves as a metaphorical bridge between the riverbank, the nearby Wassmuth Center for Human Rights and the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial.
“The mural will complement, contribute to, and expand on the educational content of the memorial,” the email said.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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