Coexistence
Art Prize 2026, Grand Rapids, MI
Mural painting by Eugene Clark
This mural juxtaposes a vivid, idyllic landscape with a sculptural frame composed of discarded and repurposed materials. The central image evokes natural beauty—rolling terrain, architecture, and light—suggesting harmony between human presence and the environment. Yet this harmony is interrupted and encased by the very byproducts of modern consumption.
The surrounding forms, constructed from recycled and reclaimed materials, act as both barrier and witness. They reference what is often overlooked: the accumulation of waste that quietly shapes our world. By elevating these materials into a place of visibility, the work challenges the viewer to reconsider their relationship with what is typically discarded.
Rather than presenting waste as an endpoint, the mural proposes an alternative narrative—one of reuse, transformation, and coexistence. It asks us to acknowledge the full lifecycle of the materials we depend on, and to imagine a future where beauty and responsibility are not separate, but inseparable.
This artwork is created with acrylic paint on canvas. The sculptural elements that extend past the canvas, onto the wall, are recycled materials re-used as sculptural forms, creating a semi framed structure interacting with the painting.
Mural by Eugene Clark
Acrylic mixed media, 10' x 8'
$7000.00
Contact artist with inquiries: Cell/Text: 313-658-9181
2026 Art prize hosting venue: