When we built out Texas Central’s Houston office, overlooking beautiful downtown Houston, we knew the space deserved something distinct, something with rich local flavor that lived up to our commitment to promote local business and culture.
In this episode, Monty and Rebecca unveil a giant wall-sized mural of the high-speed train that now hangs in Texas Central’s Houston office. The mural was created by Gonzo247, a native Houstonian and wildly popular urban graffiti artist, who tags areas of the city with his hometown style, like the famed “Houston is Inspired” mural, near Market Square Park in downtown Houston.
“I’m an artist. I’m a creative. I’m a Texan.” – Gonzo247
For this undertaking, Gonzo shows his own unique passion for the high-speed train project, drawing inspiration from the city of Houston, the music he grew up listening to, and memories of the graffiti-tagged trains that peppered his youth.
“Gonzo continues to be an artistic powerhouse in Houston, beautifully transforming public walls across the city into vibrant attractions that make Houston a more colorful place to live,” said Christine West, Cultural Programs Manager for Houstonfirst. “His passion for this city, and his commitment to the artistic community has generated a safe space for hundreds of street artists to create new works, and to be seen.”
This episode also includes the release of a short behind-the-scenes video that documents the making of the mural, complete with interviews with Gonzo and a sneak peek into his workspace. Spencer Whelan stops by the studio to talk about his filming of the mural, the significance of Gonzo’s work, and how he was able to translate the idea of this transformational project into art in the city whose seal contains a train and whose motto is “where seventeen railroads meet the sea”.
Watch the video here:
Follow Gonzo at @Gonzo247 on Instagram to see more of his work and experience more of Houston.