THOM 14 | Fall/Winter 2020

Savannah pushes the
notion of public art.
WHEREVER YOU LOOK,
Savannah is awash in color.
From its famous azalea blooms
to the pastel facades of Victorian
manses to the azure locks of the
barista at the corner coffee shop,
Georgia’s first city boasts bright,
bold hues.
It wasn’t until fairly recently,
however, that Savannah’s chromatic
profile included public art. While
the Savannah College of Art &
Design has fostered an artistic
climate since the 1970s, attempts
to embellish public spaces were
quickly whitewashed over. The city
finally adopted a mural policy in
2012, when artists Matt Hebermehl
and James “Dr. Z” Zdaniewski
established an official channel for
sanctioned street art, an effort that
resulted in a sparkling seascape
on a vacant building dubbed the
Muralcle on 34th Street.
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