Mural (Julie Mehretu)

Mural (2009)
Mural seen in the main lobby of 200 West Street in Lower Manhattan
Artist	Julie Mehretu
Year	2009
Medium	Ink and acrylic paint on canvas
Movement	Abstract art
Dimensions	7.0 m × 24 m (23 ft × 80 ft)
Location	New York City
Coordinates	40°42′53.5″N 74°0′51″W / 40.714861°N 74.01417°W / 40.714861; -74.01417
Owner	Goldman Sachs

Mural is a 2009 large-scale mural painting made using ink and acrylic on canvas by the contemporary Ethiopian-American visual artist Julie Mehretu. The work was commissioned in 2007 by the American investment bank Goldman Sachs for the lobby of its new headquarters at 200 West Street in Lower Manhattan. The painting consists of a dynamic arrangement of intersecting abstract forms executed with the use of 215 colors, which draw upon images of trade routes, maps, and photographs related to the history of global economies and the financial industry.^[1]: 249

Mehretu's concept for the design of the work was influenced by French historian Fernand Braudel's extensive study of Western capitalism, while the densely layered and contrasting forms interwoven into the composition of Mural allude to capitalism's complex, self-sustaining nature and illustrate the process of mapping the intricate network of global trade and communications.^[2] The mural was completed in 2009 at the cost of $5 million, primarily spent on fabrication costs and salaries for a team of studio assistants. Mehretu herself has described Mural as a "time capsule" of her artistic practice up until that point. The work is considered one of Mehretu's best-known paintings.^[3][4][1]

Mehretu's identity as an openly gay woman of color has led to interpretations of the mural's commission as a modern example of corporate patronage advocating for social and cultural diversity. However, the work has also faced controversy, particularly concerning Goldman Sachs's involvement in the 2008 financial crisis and its intention to commission a well-known minority artist to improve its public image. Critics and art historians debate whether the painting can be considered public art. While Mural can be seen from the street through the glass wall on West Street—highlighting its public visibility despite its placement in a private office building's lobby—the interior space of the building remains off limits to the general public.