Quinn Briceño for Neiman Marcus, St. Louis
Quinn Briceño for
Neiman Marcus, St. Louis
Missouri
CURATOR
Victoria Gildersleeve
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Clocking in at an arresting 27 x 9 feet, artist Quinn Briceño’s mural is, quite literally, a massive testament to the patchwork of Saint Louis. Beloved landmarks such as the ferris wheel at Union Station and the iconic Gateway Arch are peppered throughout, while a brass band takes center stage, representing the city’s collective dynamism. “Saint Louisans have a lot of love for our community, despite its flaws,” the artist explains, and this piece for Neiman Marcus commemorates the power of coming together.
On Location
Artist Statement
I am a Guisado: A savory stew with ingredients that are both Nicaragüense and Estadounidense: Nicaraguan and American. As an artist, I examine both my struggle with identity and how I came to be the person I am today. As I am both Nicaragüense and Estadounidense, it is important that my paintings reflect those two worlds and create a new space where people can belong. In this mural, I focus on the space of belonging and the celebration of my Estadounidense side. Blending the iconic landmarks of Union Station, Busch Stadium, the Arch, the Old Courthouse and Eads Bridge with an eclectic crowd of people enjoying a brass band made up of the hues of the city’s flag, the piece presented represents and celebrates the place where I was born, where I grew up, and where I live: St. Louis, Missouri.
Behind the landmarks, there lies a blue and purple cotton-candy like sky representing a world where the hopes and dreams of these people are obtainable. Surrounding the sky is a blue frame, with the repeating image of a flowering dogwood, the Missouri state flower. The dogwood represents hope, reliability, and the durability of the people of St. Louis and Missouri as a whole. In the center, a brass band marches from Busch Stadium. They march forward, bringing hope and joy to the crowd that sees them and hears their music. These musicians wear their hearts on their sleeve, showing their love for their community. Their passion is evident through the joy they exhibit in their playing. It is a celebration of the architecture, passion and pride of this community. It is my hope that by combining iconic landmarks, band members and the crowd, the viewer will experience a sense of belonging, love and pride for our Greater Saint Louis community.
Artist Bio
Quinn Antonio Briceño is a Nicaraguan-American artist residing in St. Louis, Missouri. He graduated with a bachelors in fine art in 2017 from the San Francisco Art Institute, and a masters in fine art in 2022 at the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Art at Washington University. He won the Ann Metzger National Biennial in 2019, was a finalist for the AXA Art Prize in 2021 and has been featured in All the Art Summer 2019, Friend of the Artist issue 10, St. Louis Magazine, Design St. Louis, and New American Paintings No. 155 Midwest issue.