Here in the Natural State, you can easily get swept away with the beauty all around, especially when in Hot Springs National Park. But another added bonus to Hot Springs is that there is also ample cultural beauty to indulge in, as well. We’re talking about
beautiful, eye-catching murals. Whether they celebrate local history, community, or just the whimsy of art, these pieces, in and around downtown Hot Springs, make the area somewhat of an outdoor art museum.Visit www.hotsprings.org to Tour the Murals of Hot Springs.
The “Freedom” Mural by Perrion Hurd
This month’s featured mural is “Freedom,” a Mural Honoring Harriet Tubman. The Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance celebrated the unveiling of “Freedom,” a mural by Little Rock artist Perrion Hurd, in November 2021. The mural features Harriet Tubman lighting the way to freedom and resides at the intersection of Market St. and Central Avenue.
A ceremony was held at the Central Theatre and featured guest speakers, Humanities scholar Dr. Carla Carter of Philander Smith College, Liz Robbins of the Garland County Historical Society, Pastor Don Crossley, artist Perrion Hurd, and a special performance of “Stand Up,” a multidisciplinary presentation from students of Philander Smith College.
The concept for the mural was proposed to HSACA, who then commissioned Hurd for the mural honoring the heroic life and impact of Harriet Tubman. The mural project received a great deal of community support including R.E.G.A.R.D., Hot Springs NAACP, and is significantly funded through private donations and a grant from the Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Perrion Hurd was born in May of 1972 in Hughes, AR. He studied graphic design and medical illustration at the Univ of Memphis but considers himself to be more of a self-taught visual artist. His philosophy toward his work is to create something new every day, stay young and free at heart, and grow and learn through positive self-expression.
He emphasizes the human figure in his work, and his subject matter revolves around his love of music and geometric shapes, with strong lines and bold colors that reflect the influence of the Memphis Beale Street and New Orleans culture, the blues and jazz.
Perrion is also inspired by the Art Deco movement of the 1920s, Picasso, Modigliani, Aaron Douglas, the artists of the Harlem Renaissance, Jean Michel Basquiat, and southern folk art.
Perrion’s paintings are playful and inviting, intended to be enjoyed by the young, mature, and elderly alike. Perrion Hurd was the recipient of the 2022 Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award.
