The City of Indio is calling on art conservation experts and teams to contribute to the annual sprucing up of the city's murals.
Preserving this mural collection takes effort, which this year means targeting nine of these works of art in and around downtown Indio for maintenance. Some murals need more touching up than others, said a city news release, with problems including worn-out paint, graffiti, accumulated dirt and other "surface accretions." Some have even faded from exposure to the sun's UV rays.
"The City of Indio is searching for professional conservators and conservation firms to provide valuable advice and conduct essential yearly maintenance on our magnificent Mural Collection," according to a news release from the city. "If you're ready to showcase your expertise and contribute to preserving these remarkable artworks, take advantage of this opportunity."
Those who want to lend a hand must submit their best proposals before the deadline of 5 p.m. on July 7, the release said.
The nine murals that need work can be found on downtown buildings where they grace cement blocks or stucco support surfaces after apparently being crafted with either acrylic polymer or oil paint.
Besides impressing the city with their proposals, artists must meet the age requirement of at least 18 years old, and they must have original works as part of their portfolios as per the city's application. More information, including details on the conditions of the murals, can be found at this link.
The nine murals named by the city in their collection information include: "Mary Ann's Bakery" by Duane Flatmo (1997), "Desert Cahuilla Village" by Don Gray (1998), "Agriculture in Indio and Coachella Valley" by Jim Fahnestock (2002), "History of Water in the Coachella Valley" by Don Gray (2003), "Moving Toward the Future" by David Oceloti Garcia (2012), "Rebirth" by Nicole Ponser (2013), "Old Indio" by Bijan Masoumpanah (2016), "Monarch Migration" by Walter Lab (2016) and "Cataclasis" by Zach Fleming-Boyles (2023).