Doesn’t it seem like there are new murals and art installations popping up more frequently around town? Or perhaps they’ve always been there and we’re just not in the know of where to find them. Instead of leaving that kind of discovery up to chance or relying on someone to answer your “Where’s that?” comment on Instagram, why not use the MAP — the Memphis Art Project.
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What began in 2011 as a project stewarded and passed around by a collection of Rhodes College students is now being managed by Grayson Burke, a rising junior at Rhodes studying Computer Science who is able to keep it all running thanks to The Lynne and Henry Turley Memphis Center which encourages students to gather, preserve, and make accessible archival materials about the Memphis region.
“There’s so much talent here and most of us only know about the ones we’ve already seen— the popular backdrops that flood our social feeds, ” Burke said. “MAP is necessary because, too often, I see people not appreciating the amount of art we have here. A lot of them are in places that you wouldn’t expect, so we get to satisfy a need — to discover those hidden gems and shine light upon those artists.”
MAP is just that. A map and directory that will help you along your way to finding the creative landmarks of this city. You’ll know exactly where to go, what you’ll get upon your arrival, and perhaps a better sense of pride of the art and creative spaces that call Memphis home.
