Black Renaissance

The mural Black Renaissance, located outside xBk Live Music Venue, is an innovative 3D tactile experience that enables everyone to interact with the art. It is designed to be touched. The mural celebrates accessibility, inclusion, care, and community. This large-scale mural shows expansive black and blue foliage, with vibrant purple lotus flowers over a colorful ombre background of black, blue, purple, pink, and red. Purple is the dominating color in the mural and is often associated with royalty. In the center of the mural is an African American female singer with long flowing braids and white ribbons in her hair. The Muse for this painting is Gabriella Wilson, professionally known as H.E.R.

The 3D Mural Model Project, started in 2023 by artist Jill Wells in collaboration with Street Art Belgrade, creates experiences that make public art accessible to all. The murals are paired with a tactile scaled down version of the mural, allowing people to feel what the mural depicts, a braille description, and a QR/video code providing an audio description of the mural and a video of its creation.

Opened in 2019, xBk Live is a 250-capacity performing arts venue in the Drake neighborhood at 1159 24th Street in Des Moines, Iowa. Owned by Tobi Parks, xBk Live is dedicated to showcasing adventurous and engaging work by musicians, performers, and artists. The venue provides a superior live arts experience and is a destination for local and national performers seeking an intimate and artist-friendly setting.