Public Presence : The Power of public Art

DMOTE, aka Shannon Peel, has spent four decades leaving his mark on nearly every continent. 

Rooted in the streets of Sydney but long outgrown any single city or category, he now channels that experience into his role as Creative Director at Overall Murals. As we celebrate the hand painted Public Art we've had the pleasure of bringing to life, city by city, what better way to honor the work than to reflect on it with a voice that truly understands art? 

Shannon has lived it, from trains to brick walls, across the world. Growing up in Sydney in the mid-80s, at the exact moment graffiti arrived as part of the BBoy wave sweeping outward from New York. Already into drawing and mischief, graffiti was the natural next step. 

For twenty years, he built his name in Sydney, Australia's walls, developing a style and a standard that the culture, not any institution, would recognize.

By the time he moved to New York, he'd earned that reputation, and the freedom that came with starting over as a relative unknown pushed his work further than staying comfortable ever could have.

That history is exactly what Shannon brings to Overall Murals. He knows the difference between a wall that belongs somewhere and one that's just filled.

Public Art at its best stops people in their tracks, not because it's loud, but because it's true to the place it lives in. 

We sat down with Shannon to talk about where Public Art comes from, what it's worth, and why it matters more now than ever. DMOTE, aka Shannon Peel, has spent four decades leaving his mark on nearly every continent. 

WHAT'S THE MOST POWERFUL PIECE OF PUBLIC ART YOU'VE EVER STOOD IN FRONT OF, AND WHAT DID IT DO TO YOU?

There was a hand painted mural of peace doves in a graphic style that really stood out to me as a kid growing up in Sydney. It was in the center of the city and had been there as long as I could remember. 

TATS CRU and Fx crew Graffiti production walls along the 6 line in 2000 were amazing. Self-funded, groundbreaking contributions to the community. On my first trip to NYC, we walked the whole length, taking pictures of those walls in the Bronx.

Some hand painted murals in Philly really stood out to me as well, Dr J mural in particular. Each of those murals stands alone. Not suffocated by other murals.

Murals that have intention, a message, and are considerate of the community and environment they live in.

Public art “Muralism” was always something to me that was best stumbled across, like you turned a corner and saw something amazing you weren't expecting.

I had this experience walking through Harlem in the early 2000’s, discovering the Picasso-inspired murals of De La Vega. That to me is the power of Public Art.

WHAT’S CHANGED THE MOST ABOUT PUBLIC ART IN THE LAST 10–15 YEARS?

When this modern wave of “Muralism” kicked off in the early 90’s in Germany, it was very difficult to create a large-scale mural. Access to lifts was almost non-existent. Work was done on a scaffolding.

Paint wasn't as developed as it is now, and the technology of gridding and projections wasn't as accessible, so a lot of planning and labor went into each undertaking. Now, with the process readily available on the internet, painting demonstrations and techniques are readily accessible, and anyone can step up and try it with these tools. 

WHEN DID YOU START NOTICING BRANDS PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS SPACE? DID THAT FEEL LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY, OR LIKE SOMETHING WAS BEING TAKEN?

For me, it was in the early 90’s. Although people had been making money doing commercial signage and smaller murals since the 80’s. I have a rule for companies, I do “Graffiti” for which goes, 

“If I walk past this job, will I feel good about it?”

Companies that support the arts or culture, I've always felt better about working with.

WHERE DO YOU THINK PUBLIC ART IS HEADED? ARE WE IN A GOOD MOMENT FOR IT, OR ARE WE LOSING SOMETHING?

With the movement toward all things artificial, the human element is needed. As a society, I think it's important not to lose touch with texture, emotion, and culture.

AFTER FORTY YEARS OF STUDYING WALLS, CITIES, AND CULTURE, WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR WHEN YOU ASSESS A SITE FOR PUBLIC ART?

Personally, I look beyond the wall and see the environment. I sort of photograph it in my head and imagine how the colors will look next to, say, a textured, weathered wall, or, on the other hand, how it might not work next to a bright vinyl billboard.

Other factors like street signs, narrow pavement, permanent shadows, and overhanging bushes will detract from the visibility and documentation of the end product.

WHAT DOES YOUR GRAFFITI BACKGROUND GIVE YOU WHEN APPROACHING A COMMISSIONED PIECE THAT SOMEONE WITHOUT THAT HISTORY WOULDN'T HAVE?

The ability to work large is definitely a skill we have as Graffiti writers. Street credibility also comes in handy. 

When painting in the public domain, you have to give up ownership of the piece once you walk away. Being respected within the culture goes a long way toward protecting the work's integrity over time.

WHAT DOES GOOD COMMISSIONED PUBLIC ART ACTUALLY DO FOR A PLACE WHEN IT'S DONE RIGHT?

The Boston Greenway project we are involved in is a great example of how Public Art should work in society. Museum-level artwork executed by the highest level artisans that complements the space and its surroundings. In this case, an open grassy area for people to come, sit, relax, and enjoy something special outside the Museum environment.

There's a reason Overall Murals brought Shannon Peel into the fold as Creative Director, and it's not just the four decades, the cities, or the walls. It’s that he still thinks about the person turning a corner, someone who isn’t expecting to be stopped in their tracks. That instinct, to create something that earns its place in a neighborhood rather than just occupying it, is the standard every Overall Murals project is held to.

It’s also rooted in the company’s foundation: the founder, Dmitry Pankov, is a graffiti artist with deep personal ties to that world, through his own practice. Co-founder Angel Saemai has built a community and relationships in the arts that helped shape the company (it’s even how she and Mitch met). Many of the overall mural painters come from that same background, bringing an authenticity and lived connection to the work that can’t be manufactured.

Hand painted Public Art is slow, physical, deliberate work. It doesn't scale the way a printed vinyl wrap does. It can't be templated or rushed. But that's exactly the point. In a world moving fast toward artificial everything, the paintings that last are the ones made by human hands, with genuine intention behind every mark. 

That's what we make. That's what we stand for.

If you're building something worth looking at, we'd like to talk. You can reach us at info@overallmurals.com.