Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith will be the artist who will bring to life the racial equity mural in Redwood City, after the local Art Commission recommended to the City Council and the mayor Giselle Hale the proposal and it was unanimously accepted.
Wolfe-Goldsmith, an Oakland native, said during a virtual presentation of her work to the Redwood City Arts Commission and residents at large that “creating an equitable world requires telling an honest account of history and sharing our hopes and dreams for the future.”
In that sense, she pointed out that her design for the racial equity mural illustrates historical moments along with achievements and visions. “The design I present has a non-linear timeline where stories intertwine with each other.”
“Creating an equitable world requires an honest retelling of history, sharing our hopes and dreams for the future. My design is a balance of these ideas, illustrating historical antics alongside achievements and visions,” added the creative director of the Bay Area Mural Program (BAMP).
The Racial Equity Mural Steering Committee met twice to review the results of the community survey conducted following the submission of the two semi-finalists' works, scored each artist, compiled the results, and held a final discussion to offer a recommendation to the Arts Commission.
Although the scores for both artists were very close, the Steering Committee recommended to the Arts Commission that Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith was the best choice for the particular location and application.
The Arts Commission subsequently voted unanimously to recommend that the same artist be selected to paint the Racial Equity Mural to the City Council.
Voting for the artist selection was done with an eye toward reflecting community responses, the artist’s commitment to capturing the history of Redwood City in more detail in her vision/representation, and making the artist’s images easier to capture while traveling by car—due to the location of the future mural.
The Committee also confirmed that Rachel had the equipment and could complete the mural within one to two months.
On the other hand, she highlighted that Chicana artist Lucia González Hipólito ‒semifinalist‒ provided a wonderful and impactful story in her work and, although she was not recommended for this job, she was encouraged to be involved in future mural opportunities in the city.
The mural project, which will be located in the Jefferson Underpass at the entrance to Redwood City, was unveiled in 2020 following protests for racial justice, and the City Council allocated $100,000 for its construction.
The funds were allocated to the Public Art Fund through the Utility Users/Capital Improvement Projects Tax, not from the General Fund.
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