It is a sunny day in Northern California. Two artists are mid-way through completing a colorful large-scale mural in an above-ground tunnel linking the parking lot of Alamo Plaza Shopping Center to the nearby Iron Horse Trail. Passersby are curious, and can’t help but stop and watch, but not without asking questions and making comments.
“That looks nice.” “Do you make a living doing this?” “Did you study art?” “I dig this. I think it looks incredible!” “Like I said, stop defacing my property.”
The scene was filmed by Trent Thompson, which he shared on his social media account @trentsideas. In just a few minutes, the video speaks volumes about authentic human engagement.
In an interview, we asked Trent why he thought people feel a sense of ownership over neighborhood places like shopping centers.
“People have been driving by this property for years, some of whom maybe haven’t been exposed to this kind of public art,” he said. “It’s a novelty. Alamo Plaza had seen a few owners and there’d been talk about revitalization…there was a hunger for someone to finally breathe new life into this place.”
Trent is a co-owner and partner of the Oakland, California-based creative collective ABG Art Group, with Sorrell Raino-Tsui and Erika Enriquez. They designed and created the “Tunnel of Love / Welcome to Beautiful Alamo, California” mural as part of EDENS’ revitalization efforts after acquiring the 200,282 square-foot retail property in 2022.
EDENS commissioned the complex mural project in three parts over six months. Thirteen smaller murals, described by Trent as ‘postcards,’ depict iconic Alamo landmarks like Mount Diablo, Oak Hill Memorial Park, Summit Ranch Equine Center and Rock City.
“I am a 27-year resident of Alamo, CA, and live very close to Alamo Plaza. I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to those responsible for the beautification and updating efforts that have been going on for the last few months,” said Alisa Corstorphine, Editor + Publisher, Alamo Today + Danville Today News. “Others and I in the community have noticed and are appreciative. There is new outdoor seating and tables, a play space for young children, garbage cans, new landscaping, beautiful murals, and even some new tenants. For the first time in decades, it looks like someone cares.”
ABG Group is an artist-led initiative that works with cities, municipalities and real estate developers to bring value and social currency to environments by leveraging artists’ relationships while, in turn, creating work for artists. Of the many hats he wears, Trent is an artist himself who signs his work as “Elliott.”
We don’t own the streets we walk on but in our head, they become our moments.
We talked about the difference between fine artwork that is displayed in museums and galleries and public artwork, like murals and graffiti. The difference, according to Trent, is that artwork in a gallery is primarily for the artist to express themselves, whereas public artworks are just that: works that are created for the people.
“Graffiti is an advanced way of saying ‘I was here.’ It’s us humans putting a mark on the world, saying ‘look at all the places I’ve been.’ Public art is an opportunity to do the same. Artists hold so much of their own identity in their work, so putting that out and seeing the response is an awesome, rewarding experience,” he continues. “We don’t own the streets we walk on but in our head, they become our moments.”
I am a 27-year resident of Alamo, CA, and live very close to Alamo Plaza. For the first time in decades, it looks like someone cares.
Read more about art in our places.
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