Artist inspiration
When asking anyone who loves a place what exactly it is that makes that particular place — and space —so special to them, they often struggle to answer.
They may say something like, “Well I grew up here” or “My friends and family are here,” or “It’s just a really good place to live.” While those responses are all true, they speak to the difficulty of expressing what exactly it is that ties us to a particular place, what it is that creates that sense of identity, attachment and belonging to the buildings, the street signs, the high school sports teams, the neighbors — even the local politics. With a sense of place, even the most mundane structures become rich with meaning and memory. The street where you played with your friends. Awkward first dates in the bookstore at the local strip mall. Baking with your grandmother, learning to fish with your uncles, going for walks in the park, watching the leaves change, then fall, then blossom again in the spring. Celebrating the victory of your favorite sports team at the neighborhood bar. Sunsets, backyard barbecues, hikes around the lake, eating ice cream on a summer day, all things that could happen anywhere — but they happened here, in this place, with these people. And that’s what makes them so special. That’s what makes here so special.
“Of all places, why here?” does not — and cannot —have a simple answer. A place is made by irreplaceable intersections of time and space, by the way geography aligns with human history and experience, by the ceaseless back and forth of the way we change our environment, and the way it changes us.
Every place has a story as unique, multifaceted and complex as that of its individual inhabitants. Our goal with this mural is to tell a piece of Lenexa’s story, to try to answer the question “Why here?” from the perspective of Lenexa’s past, present and future. Timeless emblems of the natural environment of Kansas — such as wildflowers, the buffalo and blue heron — provide the backdrop for the story of the city and its inhabitants. The train is represented as a vehicle of change, transition and movement, carrying us from the past to the future. The mural features historical landmarks from Lenexa alongside the city’s namesake, Na-Nex-Se, a Shawnee farmer, who represents the city’s values of strength, resourcefulness and perseverance. The butterflies celebrate the impact of European migration to the area, and the many ways Swiss, Belgian, German heritage continue to influence the culture and values of the community. Lenexa’s rich history of agriculture and farming is honored as the foundation for its development. As the design moves into Lenexa’s future, this legacy is shown as urban agriculture infused into modern living. New memories are made as a father and daughter celebrating a quinceañeara dance through the city, and the image closes with a grandfather reading to his grandchild, reminding us of the ongoing importance of shaping the future by sharing, preserving, and celebrating our unique history through intergenerational connections. Each one of us carries the history of all the places we have loved and lived in. Even if we can’t express it, we know on a cellular level “why here.”
"Our Place in Time" hopes to provide a visual tribute to the unique story, history, and meaning of the place called Lenexa — one its community can take pride in where the past can be commemorated and new memories can be made. And when words fail to describe why this city is so special — why it means so much — we hope this mural can be used as a starting place, a reference point for celebration.